and these children that you spit on, as they try to change their world
by MarvelousAvengfulLife
Summary: "These laws are for those demigods, our laws, they belong on Earth until their time is done and the mortal king wouldn't allow two villain children free to roam Auradon because of his laws." Hades laughed, throwing his head back. "Yeah, and most of them will end up in my realm! That'll be their fucking freedom, brother."
1. vox populi

**Chapter One: vox populi (or the children of a new era)**

_"Life's not fair, is it? You see I, I shall never be king. And you shall never see the light of another day."_ **-Scar, Lion King**

* * *

The Isle was still a desolated place with its inhabitants, ones that Hades detested. They should be dead, almost all of them should be dead where he would rule over them as he should. He was King of The Underworld for _Rhea's sake_!

But no, he has deemed a villain and was sent to live out his sentence on the Isle. It was a rather short sentence compared to the rest of the villains but none of them were gods who had duties that if left unchecked for a while could have dire consequences. Not only that but he missed his wife and many of the other gods who helped run the Underworld smoothly with him. Hades knew he would wait his time away from these villains who were growing madder with every passing day, children being born on the Isle. He would wait.

Until he got word from the Huntsman that the Evil Queen had given birth. His heart was caught in his throat at the reminder of his one and only affair.

_Is this how Poseidon and Zeus felt after finding out their flings had given birth to their first demigod children? _

It wasn't like Hades hated children, he didn't. He had two girls with Persephone, Melinoe, and Macaria. Two godlings who he missed dearly and now a third, a half-blood no less! This would be his first demigod child in a millennium, unlike his two brothers.

Hades went to go visit the Evil Queen. He didn't know what to bring the child, not knowing if it was a girl or a boy, let alone what he did carry wasn't that great. He had found one of the many things he had with him when he was thrown in this jail. His helm, of course, some drachmas and a pretty dagger that once belonged to Helen of Troy. He had been in Troy trying to settle the spirits there when Zeus dragged him back to face the music with those mortal heroes. Those spirits need to be calm again, Thanatos and Melinoe would be there.

These gifts weren't appropriate for a child, maybe the dagger when she grew but not today. He looked at the black cushions and got an idea.

When he did go visit, the Evil Queen left the child in her crib who was crying loudly. The Queen complained just as loud when he got into the room. Hades gripped the Cerberus plushy he had made for the child.

"Someone shut her off!" The woman barked. Hades rolled his jaw in irritation holding back any curse he would have directed at the mortal.

He didn't acknowledge her, just went straight for the baby. He picked the creature and realized that it was a girl, a tuft of dark brown hair with hints of blue coloring in her hair that made Hades grin. Her eyes were a brown coloring that was surely the Evil Queen's eyes. She will be beautiful, it was certain but here she will grow that unsettled him.

"Hello," He cooed at her. The baby gurgled in response, with a grin. It reminded him of holding Melinoe for the first time, all wide-eyed and happy baby. Her cryings subsided as he kept rocking her.

"What is her name?" He asked the Queen.

"Genevive," She said. Hades frowned, it's not that he did not like that name-he did. It's just that it was only one name and that wouldn't do good for his child.

"Genevive Rhea," He said to the little baby in his arms who was now slowly starting to fall asleep. "That will be her name."

* * *

"Here's your father," The Evil Queen announced in his home (if you can call a cave home for a God.) before leaving Evie with him. He was already busy trying to keep an eye out for Poseidon's granddaughter who lived on the other side. Maybe when they were older, he'll introduce both girls.

Maybe two demigods can get along better, they'll need each other to survive. After all, demigods rarely every got a happy ending or happy _anything_ when it came to their track records. The only one to achieve it was Perseus, Zeus' son.

Other than him, no one in the slightest. They usually died young or old, miserable.

The little girl looked at him shyly yet curiously when her mother left. Hades bent down and noticed she carried the dog he had gifted her when she was born in her hand. He smiled and said, "Hello Evie."

She was a pretty toddler and as she grew, the more beautiful she became. Probably could rival Aphrodite but even he wouldn't say that out loud, not wanting to bring a curse onto his child by the goddess of Love. As she grew, he told her many stories of him home and of heroes of old.

"Do you want me to clean?" She asked him an hour into him babysitting when Evie was merely four years old. It made him stop and fury almost unleashed in him at what Grimhilde did to his child, turning her into another Snow White. Only this one she can actually mold to her liking, but he also knew that even with that molding Grimhilde would try to make Evie into the same dangerous and sharp Queen that she could be, a threat that Maleficent seemed to forget. Hades shook his head and swallowed his anger.

"No Evie. You never clean here, do you understand me?" He asked her wanting to know that she understood what he was saying. He loved his daughter dearly and if he could, he would send her away from this place. She nodded, h a worried look that brought him more pain. "Do you want to hear a story?" He asked her.

Her eyes lit up and she nodded. He then remembered Poseidon's granddaughter and asked her, "Do you know you have more family here?"

That made her squeal and Hades chuckled.

When he managed to track do his great-niece, she was just as tiny as Evie. She regarded him cautiously until he spoke in the tongue of his lands that made her gasp and say, "I thought I was the only one!"

It was days like these that he cursed that mortal king for locking him and his small family away on this prison. If it had changed, he could have secured these girls in the Ancient Lands where they could grow freely with the sun raining down on their skin and have bellies full of fresh food. Instead, he was carrying his great-niece to a cave he called home where his daughter stayed with him for weeks at times.

Hades brought Uma back and introduced both girls. They slowly hit it off, both girls happy to have some family who wasn't their mothers.

Hades was glad about that as well.

* * *

Uma reminded Hades of his brother so much it made his heartache.

Stubborn as Poseidon and the temper just an equal match like Evie's temper was equal to his. It was quite scary for Hades to see it in these two tiny little girls. Not only that but they reminded Hades of his sisters, Hestia, Demeter, and Hera as well. _Especially Hera_ with the way they could make up plans and seems to glare reminded him of his youngest sister. They way they seemed stubborn in their ways and always talked way too loud was very Demeter. Both girls had that curiosity and quiet confidence that were in them that was pure Hestia.

It was like a little piece of his siblings in these girls. At least there wasn't that much Zeus in them that made Hades breathe a sigh of relief.

But stubbornness was there and he didn't know if it was a hereditary trait that was passed down between the gods but it did.

Hades regaled them with stories about the times he had lived in like Orpheus and the heroes of old like Perseus, Theseus, Jason, and Odysseus. He tried to teach them the stories of the constellations even though on the Isle they could never see the stars, Hades _tried_.

He told them stories about Andromeda, Pegasus, Pollux, and Castro who were known in the sky as the Gemini, Orion, and Scorpio. He tried his best to draw out what they looked like and the stories of each constellation that was placed up there.

He grew fond of both girls, he tried his best to make sure they did well. That they survived because the laws that Zeus put couldn't stop him from making sure these two survived here. They were surrounded by monsters, not the ones Theseus or Perseus fought, something much evil that Hades couldn't help but he would be damned if they didn't survive living here.

Other times, Evie would try to style her father and he would let her, amused as he was when she made him wear his leather jackets. The boots that she had somehow bedazzled in silver were a pretty touch. She made her own leather jacket and proclaimed that they could match. He wore his jacket for the entire day, parading Evie on his shoulders.

As Evie grew, Hades knew his time with her was coming to an end. For her sake, he wrote her a letter and placed it into a pretty box he found and with it the dagger of Helen of Troy along with the book of Greek tales he had told to her since she was small. She will need something to fight with, why not a dagger?

When Evie was six, she was banished by Maleficent for not inviting her or her child to Evie's birthday or to better put it, to punish Grimhilde for not inviting Maleficent and Mal to Evie's party. Maleficent was known for punishing children for the crimes of the parent, but it wasn't just that. He knew that Grimhilde and Maleficent have been fighting to be rulers for the Isle and Evie, was an ace for the Queen. The girl made every villain soft for the girl, a symbol that the Evil Queen could use to launch herself to power and a symbol that Maleficent needed to squash considering she had a child herself. Mal was every ounce the looks of Maleficent but she had some things that belonged to her father.

Hades pitied the baby that Maleficent gave birth to years before. She didn't deserve such a fate to be the daughter of Maleficent but then again neither did all the other children on the Isle. Mal would be the child's name, the same age as Baron Facilier's own child and Maleficent's little co-ruler. Rumors had it that the girl's father was either Diaval, Maleficent's loyal lackey or Chernabog himself.

Hades would have sent the fairy to the Fields of Punishment but he did not have his powers nor did he want a bigger target on his daughter's back. Nobody knew Evie was Hades' first demigod child. No one on the Isle except Grimhilde, Evie and Uma. Almost everyone on the Isle and probably Auradon thought the Evil Queen's daughter was the product of some poor Lord who got spelled by the witch. Nobody knew that it was the Lord of the Underworld who was the actual person.

It was a six-year punishment that came to an end when his brothers came to collect him. Evie was sitting still while Hades tried to braid her hair, apparently, he was getting better with practice.

Evie looked at Zeus and Poseidon with wide eyes before saying, "Uncles!" Pointing at the two gods with a smile on her face. Hades nodded finishing the braid on her azure hair.

"They are," Hades said and he could see the smile start to dim in his daughter. He had told her that he would be leaving soon, to go resume being the King of the Underworld. Now it was coming true and he did not know how to say goodbye to a creature that wormed her way into his heart.

She cried, begging him not to go. He pointed her to the wooden box, "This is yours. This place is yours and Umas to feel safe as I have tried to make it for you." But Evie still cried. "I love you very much, Evie. You don't need those fantasies your mother has been putting in your head, you can achieve those without some prince. You are a Princess of The Underworld, you are already so much more. Make sure everyone knows it as well."

Goodbyes were hard for him. As he kissed his daughter and hugged her tight, he made sure to place the ragged-looking Cerberus in her hands again. "I'll make sure you are welcomed in my home. I'll make sure you and Uma are free from this place."

Evie's chin wobbled. "Promise, dad?" A lump in his throat that he had to swallow Hades nodded his head. "I promise my little shadow." With that, Hades left the Isle with his little girl crying on the cold rock that was called home for most Villain children.

As he walked with his brothers Hades looked at Zeus bitterly. "Let me bring them. Uma and Evie, let me bring them, brother-"

"You know how the laws work Hades." Zeus shot back. "These laws are for those demigods, _our laws_, they belong on Earth until their time is done and the mortal king wouldn't allow two villain children free to roam Auradon because of his laws."

Hades laughed, throwing his head back. "Yeah, and most of them will end up in my realm! That'll be their fucking freedom, brother."

That set off a glare between elder and younger brothers before Poseidon calmed them down. "That's enough," He said softly. "Mother is waiting on Olympus to see you Hades. We must not keep her waiting any longer."

"_I agree_," Hades said giving Zeus one last glare before getting teleported by Poseidon to Olympus and off the Isle.

He indeed met his mother who wept and then his wife back home in the Underworld. It was winter now and she was down there waiting for him alongside their children. She hugged him tightly and so did his daughters. What surprised him the most was their knowledge of their youngest half-sister.

"Can't you do anything about it? Bring them back here?" Macaria said softly. She took after her mother the most Hades could tell as he looked out to see his kingdom of the dead. Thanatos, Nyx, Erebus, Hecate, and Hermes came to see him only to stay to talk about his demigod child.

Apparently, it's been the talk of Olympus ever since she was born. Everyone thought Persephone was going to attack the poor child but she was different than Amphitrite and Hera, she saw herself as a kindred spirit in her step-daughter. She wanted freedom away from the Isle as she did away from her mother's side. She saw how Hades cared for Evie and Poseidon's granddaughter so very much.

"It's the laws Macaria," Hermes informed her. "It's always been like that for demigods since the beginning of time. Gods cannot interfere with demigods, Hades being stuck on the Isle was a loophole because during his sentencing he wasn't a "God" if you can understand that? Let's just say mortals these days are weird. Anyway, the kids can pray to us, we just can't speak to them on a daily basis. Especially, Uncle H." He made it seem like a joke but the grin didn't reach his eyes.

Hades couldn't blame his nephew for that poor attempt at cheering him up. Hades had been told by the mortal counsel of Auradon that he couldn't step foot on the Isle or contact his demigod child. He grits his teeth as the King spat the term "half-blood", his mind screaming to burn the man where he sat. It was an insult to the old demigods to have some mortal man with no knowledge or respect to say _half-blood_ like it was some monster. At least his wife gave an apology to Zeus.

His little brothers and the rest of the Olympians were insulted by that display, Hades could feel that they were all pissed at how King Adam said about the demigod. If it was up to Zeus or Athena, either one of them would have blasted the mortal king. Probably would have wrecked the whole kingdom for that insult on their past heroes of Greece. It wasn't just the insult towards their heroes but to Hecate's subjects.

The king had made a restriction on magic, meaning no more magic. It was a fury he had never seen on his dear friend and even Hermes could see how much this would affect the balance to come.

Instead, he was let go and taken by Hermes to continue his duties as King of the Underworld. He could never visit his daughter or great-niece. The only way they would visit him would be if they died and Hades didn't want to ever think about that.

So, he kissed his wife and hugged his daughters. He prayed to his mother to watch over Evie and Uma on the Isle for days to come.

* * *

**_NOTES: New story! Inspiration strikes at different times folks, this fic will be taking place in the first movie and then wrecking the other movies that follow. Each chapter will have a different Disney quote, one hero and one villain quote. Not only that but Mal will be a child in this fic. That means no Bal, sorry!_**

_**The first chapter is a jumping-off point after it's going to speed through time to a few months before Ben's coronation where we will be meeting the AK's. Also, the title of the whole story is taken from David Bowie's song Changes.**_

**_UPDATE: I decided after much back and forth to have Mal be around Celia and Dizzy's age group. That's the update, enjoy the story folks! _**


	2. an auradon reality check

**Chapter Two: an auradon reality check**

_"__Some say our destiny is tied to the land, as much a part of us as we are of it. Others say fate is woven together like a cloth, so that one's destiny intertwines with many others. It's the one thing we search for, or fight to change. Some never find it, but there are some who are led."_ **-Merida, Brave**

* * *

Auradon was the pride and joys of the heroes. The place that was known as the 'Happily Ever After' for the heroes that built it. But even with the blissful ever afters came the curiosity from the generation that followed the heroes. That curiosity that would ultimately lead to a seismic change was currently held by two pair of royal freshmen teens huddled over a large book in their school library.

Next to the large open book were notebooks, opened and ready to jot down more notes. On both papers, they had written the words: _Villains Of Auradon History._

"Captain Hook?" Ben asked his partner. Audrey made a face and Ben marked the name in the 'No' pile. "Queen Mary Elizabeth Heart?" Audrey offered, Ben shook his head and added the Queen of Hearts to the 'No' pile. At the rate they were discarding villains, their project for their history class might end with an F for both.

The project they were working on is a group project for their Auradon History class, the subject being the villains of Auradon that once roamed the country. One group had to pick one villain, explain their history. and what they did to the country and why they were sent to the Isle or resurrected. It was easier said than done considering their group still had to pick a villain and "all the good ones," as Chad complained yesterday were already taken. _The Big Bads of Auradon_, as Ben and Audrey's Generation called the group of villains that consisted of:

Maleficent, Dr. Facilier, Ursula, Chernabog, Jafar, Gaston, and Shan Yu. Those were the ones that were already picked from their classmates lead to Ben and Audrey trying to pick some not-so-terrifying villains. Even though these villains are terrifying with their actions, not as much compared to the Big Bads of old.

Ben groaned in frustration and Audrey tapped her pencil on the wooden table. He thumbed through more pages of the history book, a better descriptive version than their textbook, trying desperately to find someone for their project. He stopped and took note on something, something that caught his eyes. Audrey did so as well, noticing her friend's pause and read the page.

"What about Hades?" She asked Ben, eyes looking a bit optimistic considering their candidate for this school work. Ben shrugged. "Might as well. We're down to the wire for this project but we are going to have to run it through with the rest of the group."

Still, Ben wrote down the name while Audrey hummed _The Gospel Truth._

_The villain of Aurdon History-Hades._

* * *

Picking the villain seemed a lot easier than researching him. It was already two hours into their research when the rest of their group came into the library. They had books opened, each depicting Hercules story and that of the Greek Gods but less about Hades.

"What are you guys doing?" Chad asked as he sat down next to Ben. Lonnie, Jane, and Aziz also took their seats around the table where books were strewn open and notebooks filled with little information.

"We picked our villain for the project," Ben announced. "It's Hades."

Lonnie blinked, but Jane answered them a bit nervously. "Hades? I mean, he isn't that well known, how are we going to find information on him? You guys haven't found that much by the looks of it."

Ben and Audrey exchanged a look that caught their friends attentions. "What did you find his home address?" Lonnie joked trying to cut the weirdness from her two friends.

"Sort of," mumbled Audrey. Aziz, Lonnie, Jane, and Chad's eyes widened in disbelief. Lonnie herself said, "I was just kidding."

Ben shook his head. "He's here in Auradon," He tapped a picture of the god himself that was in the textbook. "We'll not him but just his place where he lived and ruled."

"You mean the Underworld?" Aziz asked him. "Nobody knows where it is at except near the Ancient Lands."

Ben nodded his head eagerly. "Because that's where it's at, Olympus and the Underworld are in the Ancient Lands."

"And that's where we'll be headed to," Audrey said, her head tilting up regally. Chad merely looked at them as if they've lost their minds and maybe they had. "So what? You want us to go take a road trip to the Ancient Lands, find the Underworld just for a school project?"

Ben shrugged. "Why not?"

Chad choked on his own air at what he was saying as Ben pushed forward. "Come on guys, this is the adventure of a lifetime. It's calling for us to go and do something different for once instead of doing research with just computers and textbooks!"

They should have stopped there and laughed the whole thing off. They should have agreed to never speak about this and go on with their project, tedious as it might have been, looking us greek words and places of the Ancient Lands. They should have done just that.

Instead, what they did was slowly agree to do this. From the fear of failing and excitement from doing something out of the normality of Auradon.

* * *

A trip to the Ancient Lands wasn't that hard to do for the teens. Their parents were more relaxed and busy with what their children did since the evils of the world locked away on a small rock.

That made it a weekend trip, a private jet for the royal family and lying to their parents about where they will be during the weekend. Then, they were off, flying to another part of Auradon.

"We're landing soon," Ben announced to the nervous group.

They've never done this before, lying or sneaking off campus at least not this far away from campus. But it felt exhilarating all the same. When they landed, they rented a normal-looking SUV that did not scream _"Royal-Hero Children"_, just a normal black SUV and all of the piling in, Audrey drove off with them away from the airport.

The city, the capital of the Ancient Lands, Athens was vibrant and any textbook did not do it any justice to describe it. It was beautiful as Audrey maneuvered the car in the streets, seeing the ruins surrounding Athens and the green hills of the land. North of it, looms Olympus with many tourists surrounding the home of the Olympians trying to get a glimpse of the Gods. But unlike the other mortals, these teens were trying to find the Underworld.

The roads were rickety as they drove to the docks of Athens to sail to Elis Region where, allegedly, the Underworld was located. They got to the docks an hour before the ship sailed and they got out, Audrey stayed, Jane and Chad went to go get snacks awhile Ben and Aziz went to get tickets. The store was located by the ticket booth, Audrey rolled down her window, her pink sunglasses on covering her eyes as she smelled the salty air. Right now she should have been in bed, chatting with Lonnie about what to do about their project and cheer squad stuff. Instead, they were in another state trying to seek out a villain that may have lived in Auradon longer than the other villains that lived on the Isle.

Chad and Jane came back with bags full of snacks. They would have packed some food but were too paranoid that they would make too much noise when they were leaving Auradon Prep on Friday Night. Now, early on Saturday morning, it was just adrenaline moving them forward. Lonnie and Ben came back with the tickets as Chad passed hot chocolate to them each and Jane passed the snacks. They stayed in the car, with the air having a breeze that wasn't too cold for the teens. They watched the ferry dock, Audrey drummed her fingers on the steering wheel.

A horn cut through the peaceful sound of the waves and seagulls, signaling for everyone to come aboard. Audrey said to them, "Everyone buckle up." As she started to move the car forward to the ferry. Once having a spot on the ferry and getting a ticket for her car, they got out to see the ferry securing its passengers on board before it got moving.

Finally, a final horn from the captain and the ferry started to chug along the waves away from Athens to its destination, Elis Regional or as it was called in the Ancient Lands-Ηλεία.

As the ferry continued into the open sea, Aziz pointed to an island to the farther to their left as Athens left their sight. "Is that it over there? Elis?"

"No, that's Crete," Ben said. "There is an interesting story told in Crete though, about the island. Apparently, hidden under king Minos' castle holds a Labyrinth and in it was a monster called a Minotaur."

"What's a Minotaur?" Jane asked, her eyes held curiosity as Ben told her more about the monster of Crete. "The Minotaur, allegedly said by the Cretins, was a monster that was half man-half bull. It ate boys around our age and older who went down to the Labyrinth as a sacrifice, Athenian boys, to appease the King."

"What happened to it?" Lonnie held Jane's hand.

"It was killed by a hero called Theseus, ending the sacrifices from Athens," was Ben's response.

They didn't talk about Crete after that. The ferry sailed away moving west toward their destination.

The teens passed the time pouring over their verbal knowledge of the Ancient Lands. It was a little bit, even Ben who was still learning his history of the many states that he would rule over one day hadn't covered these lands yet. Still, they made with what they remembered and when the ferry finally docked at Elis, Regional they got back into the SUV and drove out.

Just like Athens, Elis Regional was a beautiful place with many ruins. They were in Pyrgos, the capital of Elis but had somehow managed to find themselves on a hill away from the city. The land curved a bit when Audrey stopped abruptly when cows were in the middle of the road.

The abrupt stop sent the rest of the passengers jerking forward, some waking up from their naps. Audrey felt someone hit the back of her seat with a force that it made her jolt forward a bit. "Sorry!" She called out. The only response she got was groanes.

"What the hell Audrey?" Aziz called out in the back, annoyed.

"_I'm sorry_!" Audrey repeated tersely. "It's not my fault that these cows are literally in the middle of the road!"

They were cranky from being woken up and from barely getting any sleep. All of a sudden, a face appeared by her window scaring her. Audrey screamed loudly cause everyone to scream, Chad was the loudest, hugging Jane tightly. She cautiously rolled down the windows as she heard Chad protest like a little girl. The face was that of an old man, smiling friendly at them from the outside.

His white hair was tied back, long going bast his shoulders, beard as wild as his curly hair and in his hands was a large wooden staff. "Sorry for scaring you, Miss," He told her. "The cows as well apologize for the traffic on the road. Difficult to corral them back to moving." He flashed them a wide grin, his teeth practically glimmering in the sun.

"It's no problem, sir," Ben told him.

"Where are you young people off to tonight?" He asked them. The cows were still in the middle, one of them was starting to pop and another mood when Audrey responded to the old man. "We're trying to find the Underworld? Just to take a look." She said quickly to the old man.

The old man scratched his beard, a pensive look on his face. Audrey noticed his eyes were a blue, _gunmetal blue_ to be exact that reminded Audrey of the exact color that was Ben's school binder. It is a pretty color for the old man, it makes him look youthful, she thought.

"You'll be looking for the gates of Hades then."

"The gates of Hades?" Audrey asked him. The old man nodded his head rather enthusiastically making his ponytail fly around. "Oh yes. That's where King Hades and Queen Persephone reside in, the entrance to their kingdom."

The excitement from the teens was palpable inside the car as the old man gave them a lead to where they could possibly locate the god.

The blue eyes that bore into Audrey's own eyes twinkled with mischief and amusement. "I suspect that you children want to go there?" He asked Audrey.

"Yes." was the multiple responses from all of them.

The old man nodded his head and his blue were gleaming. "Then you follow me, I know the way and will escort you to the gates myself. I'll see to it that you get there safely." He seemed rather amused with what he said and Audrey had no idea why.

But it was how Audrey found herself following the cows and the old man down a rickety road fifty-two minutes later in Kyparissia. "Almost there kids!" The old man called out from the front where he was guiding the cows with a lyre.

"Are you sure he isn't some serial killer?" Jane asked nervously in the backseat. Ben told her, "He seemed friendly and wants to genuinely help us. Plus, if he did want to kill us, he would have done it already." That did not seem to calm Jane's anxiety over the stranger.

An hour later down some mountain and into the canyon where a large waterfall could be heard below. The old man, who's name they discovered after Aziz had asked was Luke Castellan, led them down a set of steps that entered the waterfall. "Some mortals like yourselves, for example, would think this was just an ordinary waterfall but in reality, it is a way into the Underworld and now I will show you."

The waterfall seemed to shimmer slightly as if it knew what they wanted to see and when they entered the gaping hole that Audrey was sure wasn't there before, inside was pure marble floors. In front of them, a few feet away was a large golden door with a large panel in front of it, locking it. The entire room where the doors were looked like a waiting area, a mini-fridge, couple couches, a large screen where a mahogany desk was. Sitting on the desk, focusing on the screen was a tall man that wore a black rich suit, on his head adorning his black hair was a golden crown embedded with blood-red rubies. In his hand was a large golden bronze U-shaped pitchfork, with a gem, a blue sapphire connecting it.

The old man bowed to the man in the black suit when they got closer. With every step, before Audrey's own eyes, Luke Castellan's appearance changed. His hair was now shorter and curlier, blonde as the sun. His skin glowing, not sagged by age but his eyes still held that youthfulness blue. The man in the suit turned to him, his expression that of someone who wasn't impressed with Luke's antics.

"Really nephew?" He asked the young man. The teens were still in a state of shock as they continued to stare at him. The man in the black suit stared at the teen. "You'll have to excuse Hermes, he likes to prank mortals whenever he's bored and usually to annoy me."

"Aw Uncle!" Hermes said with his arms wide as he floated, the winged shoes flapping so quickly that it looked blurry to Audrey. His wooden staff was a large golden staff like Hermes Uncle's staff, Golden bronze but it had two snakes coiling around it with feathers on it. To Audrey, it looked like the symbol for the hospital. Hermes had his arms wide as if asking for a hug. "Thank you."

The dark-haired man rolled his eyes at Hermes dramatics. He turned to them, stepping next to Hermes as the floating god turned around. Chad was the one who pointed out the plain obviousness that none of them wanted to say out of fear. "Y-your him. You're _Hades_!"

"I am," The god stated calmly. His blue eyes flickered from each child as if he was reading when each of them will die. "But my question for all of you is this, who are you? And more importantly, why are you here so close to my gates little heroes?"

Audrey had a feeling that Hades _knew_ who they were, he was a god but maybe he wanted to hear it for himself.

"Isn't it obvious Uncle?" Hermes said. Hades responded in a deadpan tone to his nephew, "No."

Hermes continued, not affected by Hades' response. "They came to visit you because they knew you were lonely."

"I doubt that Hermes," Hades said in the same deadpanned voice, his eyes hinting that they might roll in the back of his skull if Hermes continued this game. Hades crossed his arms as he directed his attention back to them. "Why are you here?"

If it was anyone else who talked to them, there would be a serious offense towards them. They were royal children, the children of great heroes of Auradon herself. But this was a god and it was fear that was slightly ruling them at the moment to not step on Hades' toes. At least Hermes seemed cheerful but even they knew not to take a chance.

"I came here, " Ben stepped up to the king of the Underworld. "I mean, we came here to ask you a question. Why did my father let you leave the Isle?"

It was like a dam broke because all of the other teens started to follow Ben's lead of asking questions to Hades, as fear was thrown out the window and replaced by sheer curiosity.

_Was it a deal between you and King Adam?_ Asked Jane.

_Can you raise the dead?_ Aziz asked.

_Do you always wear black? _Was Lonnie's question.

_Can gods use magic even though it is banned? _Asked Chad.

_If your hair is black, why are you more known with blue hair on fire? _Audrey asked.

All the while, Hermes had a wide grin on his face enjoying the questioning his Uncle received from them. "You've become popular with the youths, Uncle. I'm quite envious."But it seemed that Hades had his patience run thin with all the questions and jokes as he yelled, "Enough!"

The fires blasted white and blue before returning back it's orange coloring. The gates boomed behind before settling once more into an eerie quietness. Hades' shoulder slumped, his face showing a tiredness and defeat that made Hermes grin die.

Hermes started to speak in greek, the native tongue of the Ancient Lands to the other god. Hades responded in a rather bitter tone, his face scrunching into a scowl. Ben's attention was caught when he heard the words 'Isle' and 'children' slip in English by Hades out of anger at Hermes.

"You don't like the Isle?" Ben asked the god. It drew the eyes of both gods to Ben.

Hades gave him a sardonic smile. "Very true. Tell me something, your princeling, do you know why the Isle of the Lost was created?"

They knew why it was created, everyone knew. "It was created to punish all the villains and their goons."

"It was that yes, their punishment. But how do you think they were brought back?"

It finally dawned on them and Hades nodded. "King Adam, after having my nephew Hermes trick me into coming to see my siblings and these mortal heroes," Hermes ducked his head in guilt but Hades didn't seem to be angry towards him. "The King had me bring back all the villains that died to subject them to their own hell and then he turned to my brother telling him, _'He has to be punished as well for what he did to Hercules.'_ It made all of us gods balk at what your father was implying, to punish a god as if he was one of us, an _equal_." He sneered.

"But you did try to kill him, didn't you?" Ben said.

Hades continued, chuckling at what Ben said as if it was a joke. "That's what _you_ mortals think. In reality, Hercules is demigod, child of my brother and another mortal mistress. My sister, Queen Hera was the one who tried to kill him. My brother and I were the ones who tried to help Hercules survive my dear little sister's wrath. When the time came to speak of Hermes labors, Zeus twisted the tale for the Muses to speak that _I was the one to send all the monsters to Hercules._ I thought it was just a punishment for what I did to help Hercules, my little brother always likes to remind us that we cannot help demigods. My honorable nephew tried to get everyone else to see reason but I told him to forget it, mortals are always looking for their stories to be black and white as I told him and ours never were those colors, to begin with. Needless to say, I was sent to the Isle for six years as punishment after I brought the dead back."

"That's why Hercules glares at your dad in meetings!" Audrey exclaimed. She blushed out of embarrassment as she explained herself for her outburst. "My dad told me once that there aren't that many who like King Adam for his laws and personality for that matter, like Hercules, Rapunzel, Snow, Elsa, and Merida. He says that Hercules has always fought with King Adam when it came to the Ancient Lands, he wanted to restrict the gods of their magic and Hercules called him-"

"_An imbecile greater than King Midas and Priam combined_, yes I remember that," Hermes said cackling in midair. Hades cracked a smile at the memory. "I heard that Megara had to get Hercules out of the room in fear that he was going to crack King Adam's skull open on the council floor."

This was too much information that seemed to shatter them a bit. "But you didn't answer my question, Lord Hades," Ben said. "Why do you hate the Isle?"

"Because I have a child there, that I can never bring over to live in a better place and see her only through that screen." His smile was sad and Audrey's heart broke. "Many children suffer on the Isle because the King thinks that evil can be hereditary. Evil can't be born but it can be made."

"But that's unfair!" Lonnie said drawing nods from the rest of them. "It can't be right to punish kids for their parent's actions. Why hasn't anyone tried to get them out?"

"_Hercules tried_," Hermes said. "He said he can take in Hades' kid and Poseidon's granddaughter but King Adam blocked it along with many other heroes in the process. The children are subjected to eating garbage and surviving their parents. Villains who shouldn't have children or be near children in the first place. Tell me little heroes, is that justice?"

Ben looked angry and frustrated, they felt the same way. Because their parents were seen as shining beacons for all that is good in the world, especially by them but as Hermes and Hades told them, it wasn't all that simple considering they fought with their fellow heroes on what to do with the children from the Isle. "But maybe we can do something about that," Ben whispered.

"I'm going to be King soon," Ben said to the gods. "I can change that, my proclamation that I was working on, I can say to bring children from the Isle to Auradon. I can change that, I will change it."

He turned to his friends and looked at them, determination in his eyes. "Are you with me?"

Lonnie and Aziz were the first to stand with Ben. It was Chad, Jane, and Audrey that hesitated. Villains were evil, that's what she's heard her entire life when she was a kid but the children from the Isle were just kids like her, kids who were being punished for being born to Villains with living in poverty and starving. Something inside them seemed to shatter, this reality that has surrounded them like a fog seemed to disappear and the hard truth shone through. It made Audrey think and contemplate what could happen to them all.

"Things have to change," Audrey stated. "If they can't change it, what's stopping us from doing it?"

"_The adults_?" Chad pointed out.

"But other adults have been pushing for this as well. If we join the ring, this could get more attention," Jane pointed out which surprised Audrey and it seemed to surprise Jane. Chad, on the other hand, smiled at Jane as if proud of her. She gave him a shy smile in response.

Hades looked at them, eyes narrowed with suspicion while Hermes had an expression akin to hope. Maybe Hades felt hope as well, he only hid it better. The elder god gave Ben a nod. "Do you know what the motto for the Ancient Lands is, little princes and princesses?"

Ben shook his head and so did his friends, none of them knew. The gods did, they remembered everything.

"_Ελευθερία ή θάνατος_," Hermes stated seriously with no grin on his face or a twinkle in his eyes, the expression he had before wiped away. That scared them because up until now, Hermes had been very jovial and easy to speak with.

"What does it mean?" Ben asked.

It was Hades who spoke, "_Freedom or Death_. That's what it means, what hangs for my descendants in that Isle. Freedom or Death."

"I'll make sure they get here," Ben swore.

"I hope so princeling," Hades countered, blue eyes so-serious and stone-cold like the land that he ruled over.

"So what is the real reason you came here?" Hermes asked them. "Because you seem to tell only _half the truth._"

"We have this project for our history class on villains," Lonnie trailed off. Hades understood perfectly, "Ah. And you needed a villain?"

They gave the god a guilty look but he seemed amused. "I might not be a good candidate although I am slightly flattered. I may have a candidate for your project."

The teens perked at that. "The Evil Queen."

"_The Evil Queen?" _Aziz asked incredulously and slightly no impressed. The only thing they knew about the Evil Queen was that she poisoned Snow White for being prettier than her.

Hades, on the other hand, had a serious expression. "Do not underestimate the Queen. Your parents made the same mistake and it cost millions of lives, Snow White herself was the only one that knew what she was capable of and recaptured her."

That's how they changed their villain and found themselves listening to Hermes and Hades tell the story of an unknown war in the Enchanted Forest. The battle of Charmington-Enchanted Forest, how after Hades revived Queen Grimhilde and the other villains, she led many soldiers who were still loyal to her to overthrow Snow White. Many heroes thought her just a woman of vainness, but Snow White knew her better. The Evil Queen may be vain, but she had power, magic to be exactly rumored to be given by the goddess of magic herself. Something that Hermes confirmed.

"My wife did give it to her, blessed her with magic as Grimhilde was a loyal follower of Hecate. Grimhilde fought to the bitter end, she's a woman of high intelligence and one that should not be forgotten. Maleficent may be the Mistress of Evil but she wasn't the one who slaughter almost all of the population of the Enchanted Forest."

* * *

They got back Auradon Prep without anyone the wiser of their disappearance. It helped that Hermes brought them back via his chariot, a sly god he was. Sleep eluded them as they put their energy into finishing the project on the Evil Queen. It wasn't due till Wednesday morning and by the time midnight hit in Auradon on Sunday, the teens were finished. They were sure to get an A or B.

They didn't talk about the other project until after they turned in their project. They met in Ben's large dorm with the food they snuck from the kitchen.

_"Bonitatem et disciplinam et scientiam doce_ me." Ben muttered under his breath. _Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge_, that was the school motto one that was built for their generation. A generation full of peace his mother once told him.

She was probably right at the beginning for them but now, it wasn't so much peace he and his friends were striving for but something different. It was for a change that needed to happen for Auradon, even if it kicked and screamed its way towards it Ben would be there pulling it towards that line.

He wrote down other mottos from the other states of his friends.

_Vérité sans peur_, Auroria which means, "_Truth without fear_." and Audrey's family coat of arms from her father's side, "

There was Cinderellasburg and Chad's family coat of arms, "_Je mourrai pour ceux que j'aime_ or in English, _I will die for those I love_."

All of these mottos that seemed to say "Look at us, we're the good ones here!"

"Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge," Ben said out loud to his friends. "That's what they teach or strive to in Auradon, right?" The others nodded. "Then that's what we should give to the Villain kids from the Isle. We bring them here to live with us during the summer and to start the new school year. Have some adopted by other heroes to be integrated into Auradon easier."

It would be easier said than done, Ben knew he had support from his friends and Hades assured the young prince that the heroes who fought against the Isle would have his back as well. "We'll have to pick kids from the Isle, you know that right?" Jane said. He did.

"Well," Audrey stated, the summer heat showing in the middle of April. "Let's get started. The sooner we get this done, the faster we can bring some Isle kids here to Auradon."

They went through the list that Ben had on his laptop. They picked almost a handful of candidates. But in the end, it would be nine children from the Isle of The Lost that would be arriving here if Ben and his friends had anything to say. They did.

The fights that broke out between child and parents went down to five parents. Audrey, Aziz, Jane, Chad and Ben's parents seemed scandalized. Well, Prince Philip seemed to be supportive of his daughter wanting to help, Queen Leah looked horrified at the insinuation that Audrey was making. Cinderella, Kit, and Jacqueline Fairy looked uncertain as did Aziz's parents but Aladdin sided with his son in the end. But it was Belle and King Adam that seemed to be the ones that Ben had to fight all the way to the council meeting.

"They are villain children Ben!"

"Yeah and are there because you couldn't give them a chance! You and mom said to make a proclamation and I did, this is it."

"I will not be supporting this Ben. Do you hear me?"

"I did and I won't need your support," He stated to his father. "Because I already have more support."

By early May, when school was let out for the summer the proclamation for the Isle was passed. Some like Ben's parents were against bringing the children but many others had readily agreed to Ben's argument. The ones that fought for this earlier, Hercules, Snow, Rapunzel, Elsa and Merida were overjoyed, thanking the young people.

Things were changing and Auradon wasn't ready for it.

* * *

_**NOTES: **__**I know there is a school motto for Auradon Prep but as I was searching up Latin mottos and phrases, I found this one and it just screamed Aruadon-ish. So, of course, I made it the Aruadon Prep motto, of course. Also just to make things clear, Mal will be around nine years old in the next chapter while the others retain the same age as the movie/book counterparts. Well, right now the kids are fifteen, thirteen (Carlos & Jane's age) and Celia, Mal and Dizzy are nine-year-olds.**_

_**For Hermes, I picture Cody Fern because why not have two AHS cast members play Greek Gods?**_

_**Long chapter but I had to because I do love writing about the Auradon kids. Next chapter its back to the Isle. **_

_**Enjoy the chapter, comments are welcomed!**_


	3. bring me your poor, huddled masses

**Chapter 3: bring me your poor, your hungry, your huddled masses**

_"How sentimental. You know, I haven't been this choked up since I got a hunk of moussaka caught in my throat!" _**-Hades, Hercules**

* * *

Almost nine years, Evie knew it. Nine years since her dad's sentence on the Isle was up and he returned to Auradon to continue to rule, which pissed off the other villains who were trapped here.

It made Evie lonely considering she now had to live with her mother and live she did.

Queen Ingrid Grimhilde was a formidable woman, one that shouldn't be counted out of the ring of villains. She was a person who knew how to control an army, slaughtered countless villages before being locked up and was ruthless. Her mother was a monster, all the villains here were monsters. Some were tolerable if they weren't your parents like Dr. Facilier.

Hades and Dr. Baron Facilier were respectable with one another being people who knew the dead very well. When her father left, Dr. Facilier let her keep her father's home as long as she did some work for him. He never sent her to close to where Maleficent's goons could see her. Some hauls she got to keep, like a furry blanket or a ripped dress. When Celia was born, Evie made herself available to keep the little girl company. Uma liked Celia as well, as long as she wasn't trailing behind both girls.

When Celia introduced them to Dizzy, she found the girl adorable. Both girls integrated the little girls into their group, with Uma's boys and Evie's own friends.

She met Jay when he snuck into her room, she gave him a lamp and he came back time after time. They met Carlos when Jay was sneaking her around the part of the Isle that she was banished from. She wore Jay's beanie to cover her hair, hiding the tale-tell blue. Carlos was tiny and bleeding when she and Jay brought him to Dr. Facilier. Carlos, who was ten, croaked out, "Hi Doc."

That's how Evie learned that Celia was Carlos half-sister. She had Carlos De Vil into their group much to Uma's nonchalant ness and Gil's joy to have new people. It was seven children surviving the Isle and their parents as almost all the children of the Isle did for most of their lives. Another figure in their formidable group if Jay or Uma usually never came because of their parent's errands was the son of Captain Hook, Harry Hook. He was Uma's partner but he was also her friend. He and Evie were called by Jay the musically inclined kids. He meant that both Evie and Harry were taught by their parents about music, Harry took up a ratty old violin and Evie with her voice, they usually sang on the old ship the group hid in, lulling the younger kids to sleep with old lullabies. Sometimes he would stay in her room, stringing words into lyrics in a worn-out leather-bound book.

That was until Evie's birthday, two weeks before when she got the news as she helped Celia sow her bunny up. Dr. Facilier came with a twinkle in his eyes as he looked at them. "The son of King Adam has announced that he will be bringing in children from the Isle to Auradon. You both have been chosen."

That's when Evie's world turned upside down. She would be going to Auradon, she could find her father again.

* * *

Nine children would be brought to Auradon. Nine Villain parents crowed about revenge as eight children looked with wariness and defiance. All except one child, who stood next to her mother, the ruler of the Isle with a gleeful grin.

Mal, the fourteen-year-old daughter of the Isle and future Queen of the Isle. Uma had nicknamed her _the_ _Brat of the Isle_.

Maleficent gathered the villains for one thing-plotting their revenge on Auradon. They talked about having the children take back the wand and freeing them, the Mistress of Evil sweet-talking Mal that she would co-rule Auradon with her. The older children knew otherwise, it was all false problem for the girl. What if they did what Maleficent wanted they would be rewarded like their parents but Evie knew well enough. She knew that Maleficent did not

Mal thought that everyone feared her, nobody feared the purple-haired fae child. They feared her mother Maleficent, she was mostly feared by association but try telling the arrogant girl that and her mother would the one you would be cowering to.

Evie thought that even though she was a brat, Mal was mostly an angry little girl. They were mostly all angry or sad children on this Isle, no one was happy here.

The people from Auradon who would take them from the Isle would arrive in a few hours.

She did not allow to get her hopes up until she reached her room packing her bag and found the box that her father left her all those years ago. She knew that once she arrived in Auradon with Uma that he would find them both. They were demigods, after all, the Ancient Lands ran through their blood and it would be easy for her father to find them. But that was also why she did not want to get her hopes up, maybe her father didn't want her or worse, that he had forgotten about her.

Evie looked at the plushie of Cerberus. It was missing an ear on one of the heads along with a button eye.

_I'll fix him on the way to Auradon,_ Evie thought to herself. She got her stuff, putting the box in between her clothes and quickly left the castle. There was no reminiscing in this place, the Isle was never a happy place since her father left, at least it felt that way for Evie.

She met Uma and the boys there at the broken entrance of the gate. It was said that when King Adam placed all the villains on the Isle, he made two faires do the deed that cursed the Villains for eternity. Fairy Godmother put up the barrier while the Blue Fairy blasted the bridge that once connected the Isle to Auradon, sending the thing down to the bottom of the sea.

They all had stuff to carry over and they noticed a golden bridge and a limo riding over. It entered the Isle with ease, a hole opening entering.

_This is it,_ Evie thought with anxiety and excitement all at once. _I'm going to Auradon._

They clamored into the limo and the guy shut the door. Then he got inside and drove them away from the Isle, their parents waving slightly to them but Maleficent was glaring daggers as if telling them, _Come back with the wand or else..._

_She can't hurt me, she can't hurt me, she can't hurt me_ but Evie did not know whether she was saying it because of Maleficent or her own mother. She clutched the Cerberus tightly in her grasps as Dizzy and Celia babbled about Auradon. Mal rolled her eyes and ignored everyone. The boys ate the quantities of sugary looking food that surrounded them inside the moving vehicle. Uma poked her knee.

"Evie, you okay?" She said but Evie didn't respond. The second time Uma said her name, it was in her father's tongue and it was her middle name that her dear friend spoke. "Είσαι καλά?"

She shook her head when she spoke back whispering to her. They never told anyone about their familial-relationship. "Φοβάμαι ότι δεν θα με θυμάται. Τι συμβαίνει αν μας έχει ξεχάσει?"

Uma snorted in response. "Θα ήταν ανόητος να μας ξεχάσει και ξέρω ότι δεν έχει. Είναι ο πατέρας και ο θείος μου, οι θεοί των Ελλήνων δεν ξεχνούν ποτέ την οικογένεια."

Maybe Uma was right? Maybe Evie was freaking out because she hasn't seen her father in over nine years making her brain come up with wild stories as they inched closer to the mainland.

When they did, it was bright, colorful and oh-so Auradon that it made Evie hopeful but scared. Scared that they were in a new environment that they did not know how to maneuver, only to be thrown looks of complete disdain for what they are. Villain Children from the Isle of The Lost.

The limo drove farther where they saw the buildings, old and new surround them in this colorful new world they came to. Finally, the car stopped in front of a huge castle, not Auradon Prep. "The bloody's King's castle," Harry murmured setting them on high alert. "Why are they taking us to that monster's castle!?"

There was a panic settling with the children when the car stopped and the door opened, sunlight spilling into the opening. Evie was the first to walk out, remembering her father's words when she was six.

It was just a few months before she was banished and before he left her. She was looking through the old book of stories from the Ancient Lands. The tale of her people, Hades had told her many times. She had asked him if the monsters were still roaming the Ancient Lands, he said yes.

"Are there monsters like the Chimera or a Hydra in Auradon?"

Hades face grew solemn that moment, Evie remembered clearly as she looked up at her father. "No, my little Sapphire. There are heroes in Auradon yes, good people. But the monsters there are people with smiling faces and false promises, that is mostly because they are scared of what they don't understand."

"Remember this Genevive, the monsters there cannot be killed. You must always look at them and show no fear as you look at the Hydra, the Cyclops or the Kraken. Head held high and tell yourself, _I do not fear you. I am Princess Genevive Rhea Aides-Grimhilde, daughter of Hades, the blood of gods and I do not fear you._"

"Do gods fear things?"

He chuckled. "I do-we do. I fear my monsters too."

"Who are they?"

"They are still here, on Earth in prisons and lulled to a slumber never to wake up. The Earth's children, the Giants, and her other children, the Titans. Especially, my father, he is the king of the Titans."

"What's his name? and the Earth Goddess' name?"

"We never speak his name or hers. Names, our names in the Ancient Lands and around, are powerful names. Uttered around recklessly is dangerous, even on the Isle." He had grown too serious and she could feel the coldness in his tone but there was fear in his eyes when he talked about Giants and Titans, whoever they were. Hades feared them and Evie, she knew why as did Uma. They knew about the names of the mother of Titans and Giants. Her name was Gaea and she gave birth to Evie's grandfather and grandmother, Kronos, and Rhea.

But why Hades feared them, Uma and Evie could never find the answer.

When she walked out, she chanted those words her father told her.

_My name is Genevive Rhea Aides-Grimhilde. No... My name is Genevive Rhea Aides, daughter of Hades, the blood of the gods and I do not fear you._

She grasped Uma's hand and she walked out the door to this new world.

* * *

"Welcome to Auradon!" The boy said cheerfully to them. Standing next to him were other teens around their ages looking at them curiously as if they were some freaks in the zoo. Uma grasped her hand tighter and Evie did so as well.

But it wasn't the teens that were unnerving them, no. It was the adults behind the crowned Prince of Auradon, his parents, King Adam and Queen Belle that stood behind him with the other heroes. Evie spotted her step-sister Snow White, could see Hercules looking at her and Uma. When she locked eyes on him, he gave her a smile that meant hello. She was too nervous and scared to offer her cousin one back.

Introductions were made from each teen. Audrey, Chad, Lonnie, Aziz, and Jane were their names, Prince Benjamine pointed out each of the villain children's names getting them correct. Mal curled her lips and Evie wanted nothing more than to punt the girl somewhere far away. They couldn't risk messing this up even with Maleficent's threat looming over their very lives. After that, Ben took them up to the huge room called the 'Meeting Room' where King Adam and Queen Belle will arrange where each child will stay as they were told once everyone settled inside the room.

Instantly Dizzy and Celia gripped the nearest boy's hands in fear which was Carols and Gil. Evie's back straightened as she looked at everyone. Belle and Fairy Godmother were looking over the children's files until something made the Queen frown.

"Evie? Right?" Belle asked her. She nodded not trusting herself to speak up. "You do not have your mother's last name." Everyone's eyes turned to her at once, she digs her nails into her left palm, a habit she did to herself to keep control. Fear, anger or anything in between of those two, she did that to her left or right palm to keep control.

She did not answer but someone else did, Hercules. "That is because she has her father's last name, Aides."

"Aides..." Belle muttered before her eyes widened and Evie's secret spilled out for everyone to hear. "Hades. Your father is Hades."

Mal's eyes widened but it was a look of threat. While all the other VK's looked with shock just as the people of Auradon did.

King Adam looked at her, eyes full of fire and Hercules stood up quickly. "She is my cousin by blood, no different than me. You placing whatever thoughts of dislike you have on her father, putting them on her will not bridge the gap that your son wants, _Your Majesty." _The tone that he used at the end made it seem to Evie that Hercules did not like King Adam. King Adam, on the other hand, roared with anger at the demigod, "You _knew!_ You knew he had a child and the Evil Queen's daughter no less!"

"She is just a child!" Hercules shouted back. "If you try sending her back or any threat I promise you that the Ancient Lands will go against this."

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a promise, _Your Majesty._"

"He's correct," Evie finally found her voice. It was quiet when Megara and Belle calmed both men down, leaving Evie to speak once more, her voice quiet. "My father is Hades."

That was enough said and Ben continued talking about their fostering with heroes around the realm.

It went as followed, Carlos, Gil, and Celia would go to live with Fairy Godmother, Mal and Jay would go live with Aurora much to Evie's internal shock. The daughter of Aurora, Princess Audrey looked at the two VK'S that would go live with her, with a cheerful smile. Jay gave a cool nod while Mal just glared. Cinderella would take in her step-niece Dizzy and Uma, the young girl squealed with excitement running to hug Uma. Evie snickered because Dizzy always thought Uma was cool in her eyes. Finally, it was Harry and Evie's fate.

That was how Hercules and Snow White both said they wanted to take in the last children, ensuing in a standoff. Ben had to hold his hands up and announce for the sake of peace in the room that, "Evie and Harry can stay with me, as wards of the Royal Family. A middle-ground for both the Ancient Lands and Charmington, she'll stay with us."

They weren't going to argue with the boy-king so they nodded silently. They would live with him, in this castle as King Adam watched them like hawks. Evie almost wished to be placed with the overly-cheerful Fairy Godmother instead. But it was done.

Ben mentioned that during the summer and during their year at Auradon Prep, there would be a Buddy System. Each VK would have an Auradon kid as their guide for the school year. The younger girls, Mal, Dizzy and Celia would be buddies with Jane, Axelin Fitzherbert, and Jordan of Agrabah.

Dizzy with Jordan, Celia with Axelin and Mal with Jane. Evie frowned wondering why the older girl would be stuck with Mal? She got her answer as Fairy Godmother explained that Jane was around a year older than the younger Villain children at only fourteen but was in higher advanced classes much to Jane's meaning that she was the same age as Mal.

Mal ignored them all, she always did that looking down at the other villain children because on the Isle she was Maleficent's child and thought herself as big as her mother.

The older kids already had theirs picked out. Harry was with Doug, Dopey's son. Gil was with Ben, Uma was with Li Lonnie, Carlos with Chad Charming, Jay with Aziz of Agrabah and Evie with Princess Audrey Rose. The villain kids did not know what else to say except nodded their heads at the rules of Auradon as King Adam looked down upon them from behind Ben.

"We'll keep in touch and more when the new school year starts," Ben said.

* * *

They said their goodbyes, Mal waited until Jay was done to walk towards Aurora and Philip. Her body showed that she was wary of the couple as if Prince Philip was going to strike her down with the sword of truth. Uma hugged Evie and Harry, as did Gil, Dizzy, Carlos and Celia. They left Harry and Evie behind in this large castle with the royal family.

"Ye alright?" Harry asked her in his thick accent. She wanted to lie and say she was fine but she wasn't. She was foolish to believe her dad would be here. Evie shook her head.

"I thought my dad was going to be here."

"Maybe something happened in that land he lives in? Why not ask that cousin of yours, big muscles?" Harry offered which made Evie crack up hearing the name he gave Hercules. It couldn't hurt to ask him before he left the castle. "I'll go with ye so you don't chicken out."

"I will not chicken out!" Evie protested but she was already holding Harry's hand and walking with him up to Hercules where he was talking with Snow and Belle. He spotted her as they approached them.

"Hercules?" Evie began. "I was wondering if my dad-was he-I mean-" She was fumbling with her words, too upset and anxious to form a coherent sentence.

"Where you dad was?" Hercules helped. Evie nodded. "He had an emergency in the Underworld when I contacted him before I got here. He hopes to see you tomorrow once the incident is cleared up."

"What happened? In the Underworld, I mean?" Evie asked her older cousin. Hercules shrugged. "I don't know to be honest. Probably some spirits trying to escape or..." He trailed off before shaking his head. "Probably nothing but ask him tomorrow when he gets here. Megara and I will actually be staying here at Castle Beast for a few days, so you'll be seeing us around."

That lifted Evie's spirits very well.

Ben appeared wanting to show them their rooms, Belle told the trio that dinner will be in the dining room in a few seconds. Ben took them up the large stairs to the East Wing of the castle, Harry's room and Evie's room were four doors down from each other sending some relief to them. Opening her room, it was bigger than her room back on the Isle. Her mother had the biggest room while Evie had the exact room since she was a toddler, small almost like a pantry.

The colors were green and gold, the bed huge with a white canopy. There were a wooden cherry desk and a matching closet and vanity as well with a huge mirror. Ben knocked on the door frame. "If you don't like the colors we can change it and bring some stuff for it to feel more at home or your style if you want Evie?" He offered.

Evie was taken aback by his kindness but shook her head. This was enough for her, it was more than enough. "No, it's amazing. Thank you."

"Well, let's go. Dinner is about to start."

Harry closed the door to his room and peered inside Evie's whistling. "Can we trade?" He gave her a huge grin. Evie snorted as she closed her door. "Nope."

The dining hall was bigger as it accommodated the table where Ben's parents and Evie's family sat. Adam sat at the head of the table, Belle to his right. Next to her was Snow, Florian, Hercules, and Megara. On the other side, sat Ben, Evie, and Harry. The food was already there and Evie couldn't believe it. Fresh, warm, delicious food for her eyes to see. Sitting down, everyone started to pile food and the two children from the Isle looked a bit overwhelmed. Evie took the lead, putting vegetables that were steaming onto her plate and Harry copied her. They put vegetables, some roast honey ham and as Ben pointed out to them, mashed potatoes with a bread roll that the Prince passed to them.

They started to dig in, Evie and Harry controlled their manners even though as they ate, they felt the luxuries of Auradon overwhelm them. They were having real, unspoiled food!

"So," Hercules began as the dinner continued. "Evie, what has my Uncle told you about our history?"

"A lot," Evie replied. "Told me stories about the constellations."

Hercules smiled wide. "Did he tell you about Orion and Scorpio?" Evie nodded enthusiastically. "Yes and Andromeda's tale."

"Did you know that Andromeda and Perseus are my great-grandparents?" Evie's eyes widened. Hercules continued. "It's true. My grandfather was their son, Electryon and he later had a daughter with his wife, Anaxo. My mother was named Alcmene."

"Wow," Ben said out loud looking intrigued at the story, as well as Belle. Evie, on the other hand, had other questions, some that she knew Hercules could answer.

"Do you know why my father fears the children of Earth?" Evie did not miss the way Hercules' eyes grew solemn and his grip on the knife went tighter than his knuckle tips turned white. "Dad never mentioned it to me. Maybe because I was so young but he said that they feared those monsters. Why? What did they do?"

"You mean mortals?" Snow said trying to be helpful. Hercules shook his head silently and Megara had her lips pursed.

Hercules debated whether to tell Evie but finally relented. "The Titans were once known as the Golden Era on Earth. Our grandfather Kronos ruled the Titans until his paranoia got the best of him when a prophecy was announced that one day his reign would come to an end at the hands of his child. So, to control his fate Kronos ate his children after Rhea gave birth to them."

It was silent as Hercules continued and it made so much horrifying sense to Evie as to why her father never answered her questions about the Titans ever again. "First it was Hestia, then Hades. They were the eldest of the six gods-they survived to take care of the rest. After it was Demeter, Poseidon and Hera came last. A year after Hera came into the world, it was father, Zeus. Our grandmother tricked Kronos into eating a rock and as my Uncle put it, it gave them hope that Rhea finally found a way to save them before they died. When my father finally came of age, he disguised himself as his father's cupbearer and when he was truly drunk, Zeus sliced open his belly using the scythe, releasing his five siblings."

It seemed like a happy ending but Evie knew ell enough of these stories that happy ending never came easy at all. "There was a war, the Titanomachy between the Olympians and the Titans. I wasn't born yet, but from what I have heard from my half-siblings it was a brutal bloody fight for control of the Earth. The Olympians came out victorious with the Titans sent to prisons. Then came the second war, called the Gigantomachy. That battle was just as bloody with Gaea, the mother of the Giants and Titans at the helm. But the Olympians came out victorious in the end, lulling the goddess back to sleep and sending the giants underground forming volcanos and mountains where they slumber. They have never been seen again and never will be if the Olympians have anything to say. Kronos is still in his prison with some of his siblings in Tartarus. Your father keeps a close eye on his prison but nothing hasn't occurred to alarm him."

"So Evie's dad and her family are afraid of Giants and Titans?" Harry said incredulously.

Hercules still had a serious expression on his face when he spoke. "You may all think it's fabled but those beings are dangerous as the Olympians. They will seek revenge if given the chance to reform again and will send the Earth into another Titanomachy or Gigantomachy with more blood to spill."

That stopped any questions furthering about the Titans and Giants.

At least Evie could tell Uma all about their family history, that it was a bloodbath of golden ichor on Earth.

* * *

**_NOTES:_ Alright, new chapter! **

**Fun fact #1: The title of this chapter comes from The New Colossus by the poet Emma Lazarus. For all that know this, it is from the Statue Of Liberty in NYC, a plaque there on the statue has the entire poem. **

**This quote will be, in a sense, the drive for the story, for anyone that lives in the USA as I do this poem is important now more than ever. This poem will be the backbone for me in this story and somethings will be taken from the real stuff incorporated into the story. So you may be seeing parallels with stuff in the chapter screaming the same stuff that is on the news from where I live which is the US. **

**Also, I know I know I know I changed Mal's age again. I'm sorry! But this time I swear, it will be the last time. She is officially fourteen in this, meaning she is a year younger than the older teens (Evie, Uma, Ben **etc.**) and a year older than Carlos. Jane will be in the same age range as Mal but will be a year ahead. I swear it, not going to change her age anymore I. SWEAR.**

**_Translation as followed:_**

**_Uma: Are you okay?_**

**_Evie: I'm scared that he will not remember me. What if he has forgotten us?_**

**_Uma: He would be a fool to forget us and I know that he hasn't. He's your father and my uncle, the Greeks gods never forget family._**

**fun fact #2: Aides is another name for Hades, which means Hades, The Unseen. Which is why I placed it as her last name, plus Hades isn't an Olympian so I couldn't put Olympia for her last name like I did for Uma. **


	4. we are going to be friends

**Chapter Four: i can tell that we are going to be friends**

_"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew."_ **— Pocahontas**

* * *

Uma panicked when she woke up. For a moment she thought she had been kidnapped by Maleficent only to see Dizzy hesitantly looking at her.

The bed is too soft and the sun is shining... Uma realized that they weren't on the Isle, not anymore. And here she was about to punch someone for kidnapping her. "Hey splatter paint," Uma said to Dizzy. She had nicknamed the little girl 'splatter paint' because of her clothes and the vibrant colors that were always on her from working at Curl Up and Dye. "What's wrong?" She was still on high alert. Even if they live in Auradon now, Uma was still on high alert never knowing when anything horrible could go down.

"I woke up and I don't know if Aunt Ella is awake or Chad so I came to you," She said in a whisper as if trying not to wake the whole castle. Somedays, looking at Dizzy who was so tentative in her manners, as if one wrong step it would send both her mother and grandmother into a frenzy of shouts at the little girl, Uma would have gladly run her sword through both women. It didn't help that Dizzy was the only surviving grandchild of Lady Tremaine. Anastasia's son, Anthony had passed from an illness that he contracted on the Isle years ago. Her Uncle Hades had kept both Uma and Evie clean as best as he could to better their chances at not contracting the illness. He was the one that buried the young Tremaine child, he was the same age as Uma at five years old. When Hades left, Uma and sometimes Evie went over to where Anthony was buried to leave little things for the child. Hades had him buried in an empty plot of land with Dr. Facilier's help, more children would end up there throughout the years.

Evie called it the field of Thanatos.

Uma shook the memories of the cemetery full of children and looked at Dizzy, then at her surroundings. The room-her room was a light blue color and judging from the curtains that took away the sight of the window that it was still nighttime. "What are you doing here?"

"Nightmare," Was the only response Dizzy had. Uma didn't need an explanation, they all had their share of nightmares. Uma and Evie got the worse of it, theirs were vivid about the tales that Hades had told them or some he hadn't. She still remembered seeing a horrible fire, the smell of flesh burning in a looming city, a shadow of a figure over her. Uma patted the other side of her large soft bed and Dizzy happily climbed in. She was sleep before Uma.

The castle was huge and quiet the following day. Dizzy was still fast asleep when Uma heard a thud coming from the hall. She went to investigate, opening the door quietly as if waiting for an attack only to see Chad cursing.

He had gear on, clothes for what looked like training. He seemed slightly embarrassed as he scratched the back of his neck when she spotted him. "Sorry if I woke you up."

Uma shugged not knowing what to say to the blond. "What are you doing up, besides trying to wake everyone else up," She said to him. He grinned. "I'm headed down to work out at the gym here."

She was about to go back to her room when Chad spoke up again. "You want to join me? I need a sparring partner and dummies usually don't cut it." She whipped her head to find Chad holding a sword.

That's how Uma found herself fighting Chad Charming at five in the morning. The swords clashed with each other as Uma and Chad tried to get the other to yield. Sweat trickled down her neck, it didn't help that she was wearing Chad's workout clothes that looked way to baggy on her, the Auradon Prep blue shirt was big. Cinderella walked in with Dizzy just as Uma knocked the wind out of Chad, making him fall on his butt.

Cinderella and Dizzy clapped. Uma bowed and Chad grinned but rolled his eyes.

"You aren't half bad," He told her. "Ditto Princey," She shot back.

* * *

Audrey did not know how to talk to the Isle kids, let alone the daughter of Maleficent who seemed to look at everything in Auradon with disdain and pure hate. Jay, on the other hand, seemed curious and Audrey took that for a talking point, telling him about some activities they do around where she lived.

"What's Tourney?" He asked, eyes sparkling with life and it made Audrey think about what these guys have missed living on the Isle. She explained it in great detail and texted Chad, Ben, and Aziz about having a Tourney scrimmage with the other boys from the Isle. They texted back in agreement making Audrey feel proud.

She showed them around her home, showing them to their room. Mal looked with hidden amazement that only a moody fourteen-year-old could. Audrey made it her mission to have the girl break out of her shell, she wanted this program, Ben's idea ("Our idea," He had told them all. "It's our idea.") she wanted this to work.

This _had_ to work.

She found Mal whisper something to Jay, the older teen just scoffed loudly. Audrey had no idea what they were talking but whatever Mal said seemed to have touched a nerve with Jay who shot back at the petite girl, "Maybe you should rethink what you were taught Mal. _She's_ respected and feared, _not you_." He walked away and Audrey went the other way as if she hadn't heard the cryptic conversation between Isle kids.

It seemed that Mal wasn't going to give Auradon a chance if her mother had anything in it. Which would probably seem so, but what it was well Audrey was determined to find out.

* * *

Jane's mom was... happy and nervouse. Which was the exact same feeling Carlos had when he was eating waffles with Gil, Celia and Jane.

Fairy Godmother or Jacqueline Fair was a very kind woman. Celia and Gil were nervouse as well, having grown up in a place with adults who did not care about their well being or anything about them at all. His mother was one person he could name that did not care about him or his sister. She only cared about her coats.

He could still hear her screeching as he left-_"CARLOS! GET BACK HERE YOU ROTTEN PUPPY!"_

Cruella, like many of the villains who lived on the Isle had completely lost their minds throughout the year. Some did retain some senses like Dr. Baron Facilier, Smee, Anastasia Tremaine but those were just a trickle of people there.

There was Jane's birth certificet hanging on one of the hallway walls when he got there to the pretty robin blue house. Jane Ilene Good, the document read. "Your last name is Good?" Carlos asked in between mouthful of waffles. Jane blushed but Fairy Godmother nodded her head. They talked about going to the store to makeover their rooms and Carlos realized both Fairy Godmother and Jane were asking for his opinons.

Mom never asked for his opinion, usually it was screaming at Carlos as a servent and threating his life. He almost cried but held it back.

"Yeah," He responded. "That's be nice, Ma'am." It was totally nice.

* * *

The bed was too soft but Evie relished the feel of it. Granted, she did have a better life on the Isle than the rest but it was still horrible nonetheless. Her mother was a cruel person as was all the other inhabitants of the Isle.

The sun spilled into her room and Evie would never get sick of seeing the sun. She'll never get sick of laying on this soft bed and knowing her mother could never reach her. But as the thoughts of her mother crept in more, the thought of the threat that Maleficent promised came into her mind. It made her gut clench and made her feel scared like she was that six year old being sent into banishment by the Mistress of All Evil.

She tried banishing those thoughts of getting the wand because she did not want to. They can't touch her-but Mal will do it. She had to sway Mal over and see the light. Maleficent would rather torch the world rather than share her throne with a child even if that child is hers.

Evie pushed the covers back and started to get ready, her stomach ruling that it was time to eat something. After taking a shower and dressing, she was finishing up putting her red lipstick when a soft knock interrupted her. She walked, her blue short heeled boots clicking on the floor when she opened it. Harry stood looking a bit sleepy and his hair sticking up all over. "I don't want to go down alone," He said trailing off and Evie nodded. They stood together, the VK's.

Evie quickly grabbed the leather-bound journal, the pen still inside it and she closed her door behind.

The large castle was so quiet. It was never quiet in the Isle, usually, it was the kids running around or some easy person trying to get something or hurt someone. It was always that, a rattle to alert them to run and hide away from the dangers. Now it was pure silence and that was much more deadly but she had to remind herself and probably Har for that matter that they were in Auradon. There was still a danger, they knew that but this danger would have to be played much better in this new world. Walking down the steps of the large stairs trying to find the kitchens.

"Where's the bloody kitchen?" Harry whispered.

"A few feet ahead to the left," A voice responded startling the Isle kids. Turning around, Evie's voice got caught as King Adam stood there. No crown on his head, glasses on his face, clothes impeccably crisp but his hair was just as mused as Harry's. It seemed that the King of Auradon himself was an early bird like themselves as he slowly walked down the steps. They followed the King to the kitchens where an old woman with white hair was singing a tune to herself as she whipped something delicious.

_"There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow_  
_Shining at the end of every day_  
_There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow_  
_And tomorrow's just a dream away!"_

As she turned around, she finally noticed her audience. "Oh!" She said looking surprised. Adam merely looked amused as he said his hellos, "Warming up for Cadenza, I see Mrs. Potts?"

Mrs. Potts held the spatula up, waving it. "I don't think I can keep up with Garderobe but I certainly can try Master." She then noticed Harry and Evie just standing there as if they were trespassing which felt like it. "I see this must be our new guests! Don't be shy, come sit down. Both look a bit peckish, come on!" She said fussing over the two children who quickly sat down across from Adam on the Island counter. The seats held in place as Mrs. Potts placed bowls of porridge in front of them, two trays of toast and some fruit. "Sugar, milk, and honey are there as well. I'll start and your coffee and anything you kids need? Something to drink as well?" She asked them.

"Coffee for the both of us, if it's no trouble Mrs. Potts," Evie replied to the old woman. She kindly smiled and said that it was no problem. She left to start on the coffee leaving two Isle children with the King that had them locked away.

Evie opened the journal and got Harry to pay attention while he poured some sugar on his porridge. He pointed to her porridge with the sugary spoon and she nodded her head. He put three spoonfuls of sugar onto her bowl. "Okay, so I finished the song-"

"Which one?" Harry asked as he stirred his porridge, pouring a bit of milk into his and then into Evie's. She sighed. "Broken Road," She told him.

Harry shook his head. "We really need to change the title to that one."

Evie rolled her eyes. "I think its a good name."

"Well I say to expand on the said name, just a wee bit," He said swishing his index finger and thumb together as if making a point to the Princess. "How about _Bless The Broken Roads_?"

It wasn't bad, Evie thought to herself. "Alright, now instead of looking at the title. We look at the lyrics?"

"Are they poems, that you two are working on?" Mrs. Potts asked as she returned with their drinks. King Adam had stayed quiet but he had the look of a curious cat or maybe a curious beast? Evie thought. "No," Harry told her. "Song lyrics that me and Evie are trying to polish up."

Mrs. Potts nodded. "Maybe the music room here in the castle can help? Certainly, Cadenza will be overjoyed to see two musical spirits such as himself."

"How many have you composed?" Adam asked them. Evie looked at the worn-down journal before responding to him. " Seven, in total."

"What's seven?" Hercules asked. He and all the other guests came trailing in saying their good mornings to Evie, Harry and Adam. Mrs. Potts was already busting out more food with the servents help as they moved outside to dine at a longer table. Once they sat down, Harry continued to eat his porridge as Evie explained about the songs she and Harry were working on.

Ben looked interested along with the adults like Adam was. "You two are more than welcomed to use the music room to help with the progress on your songs," Ben offered. "Thank you Ben," She said to the Prince.

Ben looked excited as they finished breakfast. "So, what do you guys want to do today?"

This gave the two VK's pause. This was still something to get used to for the children, having people ask them what they wanted or being genuinly nice to them. Usually it was with screams, hits or threats on the Isle.

In response they both shrugged. That's when Snow pipped up, "If you don't mind Prince Ben?" She asked the teen. "I'd really love to show Evie around Charmington and the Enchanted Forest."

Beforee Ben or Evie could respond, Harry blurted out-"That's where the Queen's war took place? Wasn't it?" No excitment in his voice just genuine curiousity and grimness. Evie slightly cringed as she avoided eye contact with everyone at the table. Harry must have know what he said because he started turning a bit pink with emberassment, turned to Evie and muttered an apology as hereached out to pet her blue hair. She acknowledged it, squeezing his hand.

"It's quite alright Harry," Snow said with a smile. "Yeah, close to my castle, there was the war that Ingrid made against me. I do not hold it against Evie, those were Ingrid's choices not hers. I do want to show you the castle Evie, very much."

She agreed and Harry did so as well, they wanted to see more of Auradon. Some small part of Evie did want to see the carnage that her mother left behind on Auradon, a scar on the pretty realm.

* * *

Charmington was full of lush forest and the castle looked like something out of a dream. Almost all of Auradon seemed to be that way for Evie.

Almost.

She 'oohed' and aaaaahed' Snow's home. She met with the dwarves, the seven of them looked warily at her and she to them. Snow let them wander around and Evie did wanting to see the back yard of the castle, Florian offered to drive the men somewhere and Evie jumped on the chance. Harry stayed behind after seeing the training room with Ben, both boys were already starting a mock=fight as Evie left. She noticed the dwarves still staring and she could feel judgment crawl up her skin as she stepped next to King Adam as they walked away.

They drove to a grassy field a few miles away from the castle, where a hill was. Adam got out along with Evie, she heard them talk about some memorial and she wanted to see it. She walked ahead and found herself seeing a scorched land from miles down. Where the grass touched the ashes was a marble wall. As Evie got close, she noticed there was writing on the white marble and an even bigger words on the bottom part.

_NEVER FORGET_

"This was where the biggest battle took place," Adam said making Evie yelp in surprise. She had no idea he was behind her. She could barely hear him because of the wind but it was odd, she did not feel any wind on her. The wind grew louder that Evie realized the noise wasn't a wind, it was howls. "Where Snow White stopped your mother from continuing her distruction."

Howls and screams that kept growing louder in her ears. She felt it, it was hurting her as they cried out for vengance or pain. She fell to her knees.

_NEVER FORGET_-The words were mocking her as she grabbed her ears and cried out in pain. Adam asked her something but he seemed so far away as if he was in a tunnle.

It all fell into darkness after that.

* * *

**_NOTES:_ Fun Fact: The song that Mrs. Potts sings is from the Disneyland Fantasmic! the soundtrack, It's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow was played in both Disneyland and Disney World rides in Tomorrowland. In Disneyland, it was played on Innoventions and Disney World's Carousel of Progress. Recommend giving it a listen, it cute and very Disney, also just all-around pretty catchy. **

**Second Fun Fact: Jane's middle name, I got the idea to use the original Cinderella's voice actress Ilene Wood for it. Enjoy!**


	5. what a difference tempers make

**Chapter Five: what a difference tempers can make**

_"I warn you, child. If I lose my temper, you lose your head! Understand?!"_ **– Queen of Hearts, Alice in Wonderland**

* * *

Adam had tried to wake the girl up but to no avail. He touched her face trying to see if she was still breathing. She was but her skin felt sweaty and cold to the touch, as he gently picked her up into his arms and practically ran back to where Hercules and Florian were waiting.

He had heard Evie mumble something to him but he did not understand and the next thing he knew, the girl collapsed as she held her head in pain.

Hercules was the first to spot Adam carrying Evie in his arms. Once getting to the car, Hercules seemed to be ready to pull a punch on Adam. Instead, all he did was yell and Adam, frightened and utterly confused yelled back at the demigod. Florian put a stop to it.

"We can yell at each other later!" He said to both men. "Right now we need to get her back to the castle!"

They got into the car, Hercules and Adam sitting in the back as he held Evie close to his chest. Florian drove, practically gunning it to the castle as fast as he can.

Adam looked at Hercules who was muttering something in Greek. Once he was done saying whatever he said in Greek, Hercules turned his attention to Adam and the King braced himself for more yelling. Instead, it was a question directed at him.

"Where was she when she collapsed?"

"The memorial. The one dedicated for the lives lost during the Queen's war against Charmington," Was his response.

Hercules nodded. "Are there still many buried there? On the battlefield?"

Adam made a face but responded, "Yes. The Evil Queen, she was sadistic. When she was that she was losing she burnt the forest to the ground roasting her men and Snow White's army into ashes. I don't see how this has to do with Evie collapsing?"

"It has a lot with Evie collapsing. She's Hades daughter, Lord of The Underworld! He can talk to souls, raise skeleton armies, control shadows at his fingertips and Evie, his _first demigod_, has some of his powers coursing through her veins. I wouldn't be surprised if she inherited her mother's magic as well."

"Are you saying that this girl can control the dead?" Adam asked.

"I'm saying that Evie inherited some powers from her father, not all of them though. Whatever happened to her must have been her powers and she doesn't have control over them so it made her exert her energy."

Hercules tentatively touched her cheek and his expression was one Adam could not describe. His eyes looked distant, almost looking into the past as he looked at Evie with that agonizing expression.

It scared Adam, it truly terrified him.

The car jerked to a stop and the three men got out, leaping into action. Adam opened his side door and still holding onto Evie, got out and headed up to the castle with Florian and Hercules right behind him. Florian yelled for Snow and the rest while Hercules opened the doors to Florian's quarters after climbing more steps.

He laid Evie down on the bed. She was so still, no movement to signify that she was alive and for a few seconds Adam thought she had died. Only for her chest to rise and fall that Adam slightly let out a breath of relief. He stayed on one side while Hercules was on the other, the demigod looked ashen and very quiet, eyes glued to Evie. The whole room was silent but was disturbed when Snow, Belle, Megara, and the two boys walked inside.

"Evie!" Shouted Harry and his attention turned to Adam as the boy yelled at the King. "What did you do to her!?" Ben held him back and Belle grabbed his shoulders to ground the boy in place.

All Adam remembered is the girl collapsing at the memorial.

If Harry kept shouting, Adam wasn't angry as everyone in the room thought he'd be. What he felt was fear.

It was fear of what Hercules saw in Evie at this very moment.

The fear of what would happen to this girl that was placed under his care by his own son.

The fear of what Hades would do once he found out what happened to his child.

Adam just stared at Evie realizing that he had never let go of the girl's hand when everyone came inside. He realized what Evie had said before she fell silent at the memorial.

All the King of Auradon said was, "She just kept saying _'They're too loud, too loud and hurting. They're too loud._'"

* * *

"Herc?" Megara approached her husband from behind. She noticed he was holding loosely in his hands a canteen of Nectar and a square of Ambrosia, Megara knew that many called it the food and drink of the gods but to demigods, it was something for their injuries. Just a small amount would do for half-bloods and overdosing would cause them to burn, into a fireball of flesh. At least that's what Megara had been told by Hercules years ago.

She grabbed Hercules shoulders only to feel him tremble hard. Concerned, she just felt him tremble until she connected the dots because he hadn't acted this way since...

Megara made quick but swift action as she grabbed Hercules bag, found the pouch of drachma coins and kissed her husband's temple. "Keep your head up, Wonderboy." It was time to make a few calls. She left the room quickly walking down the steps as if a fire was chasing her. The royals of Auradon weren't the only ones to call upon the gods of Greece or the Ancient Lands as the other Royals called her homeland. She would call, the first call to be made-Hades.

She found a hose, squeezing the pressure where the water came out, it made mist and angling it towards the sun it made a rainbow. Megara threw a drachma coin into the shimmering rainbow and chanted-_"Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering." _

Her thoughts went to all the past demigods, some before Hercules time and during his time. Evie was a demigod after a new generation in her of half-bloods. She remembered one demigod, one that Hercules was no doubt seeing in Evie and it made her heartache for her husband. She looked at the misty rainbow and finished her offering to the goddess of messengers. "_Show me Hades, the Underworld in the palace..."_

A few calls later, the coin purse felt lighter and behind her were a group of Gods walking inside the castle of Snow and Florian. Above, the clouds seemed to darken and Megara silently cursed her father-in-law, no doubt not helping Hades mood or Hercules. When she got to the room everyone stood still at the sight of Megara being followed by the gods.

She stepped away for Hades and the other gods to do their things. She left the fate of Hercules cousin in the hands of the gods but when she saw Hercules's eyes ignite with anger at one god in particular, she hoped that it wouldn't end in travesty.

The last thing Greece needed was more demigod blood to be shed, especially by a god once again.

* * *

_"What is he doing here!?_" Hercules spat looking at Apollo.

That tone let alone the pure anger with it made everyone back away even Adam who let go of Evie's hand to stand next to his wife, trying to shield her and the two boys form whatever fight that was about to erupt. Megara shifted from one foot to another. not sure what to do.

The gods that entered the room, on the other hand, had different reactions-Thanatos, his blonde curly hair contrasting with his black clothing and equally black wings on his back and Hermes who was floating with his winged sandals, both had looks of beings that did not want a fight to break out. Apollo, who was a contrast in height and color (skin, hair, and eyes, mind you) from the rest of his Olympian family, merely gave Hercules a mocking smile. Hades made himself stand in-between the demigod and the god of the sun. Hecate, blonde but not as straw or golden as Hermes was already analyzing Evie's condition, ignoring the brewing tension between half-children of Zeus.

Hades gripped his half-blooded nephew's shoulders trying to get his attention on himself. "Hercules, not here-"

"HOW CAN YOU BRING HIM HERE!?" He roared like the Nemean lion. "AFTER WHAT HE DID TO ORION! AND YOU BROUGHT HIM HERE?!"

"_I _brought _him_ here because he is one of the only gods that can help my daughter. He and Hecate are here to help Evie." Hades told Hercules. "Let them do what I brought them here to do, what Megara called upon us to do. Thanatos will be here to overlook and Hermes is here for moral support, mostly for you and myself, if I do say do. She is in good hands, Hercules. This won't go down the path you fear, besides Apollo knows better than to do anything with Hecate and Thanatos around. Don't you nephew?"

Apollo merely nodded, not daring to say anything. Hades was already in a tense mood, it would be unwise for any of them to say a word that would tick off the god of the Underworld.

Hades led Hercules followed by the rest of the mortals out of the room, he had a grip on Hercules's bicep and Megara got his other hand to distract him as they walked away. They all waited out in the hall to hear about Evie's condition once Apollo and Hecate finished.

"I can't let it happen again," Hercules commented and Hades nodded understandingly. Because he did understand, he saw demigods go to his real, young and old. "Demigods... We're a dying breed Uncle."

"There was more demigods?" Ben asked confused. Hercules merely laughed hysterically as thunder boomed outside. He rounded on Adam who looked chalky and un-kingly like at this very moment.

"You should know," Hercules spat. "You never cared about our kind. Of course, there would be more half-bloods besides me, you want to know where they are! IN THE UNDERWORLD, DEAD! THAT'S WHERE WE ALL END UP DEAD AND TRYING TO SURVIVE ON EARTH! THAT'S-_That's where my siblings and cousins end up_..." His voice cracked, tears streaming down his face as he told them. "That's where _Orion_ ended up... dead because he loved Lady Artemis and Apollo couldn't stand that."

He laughed again as he looked at Hades. "You were right Uncle. Demigods... we don't end up with happy endings as _they do._" He let Megara hold Hercules as he calmed down. Hades stayed silent as the mortals looked at them. He could explain but Hercules outburst was enough information, for now, that was his nephew's story, not his.

Hades, on the other hand, wanted answers.

"What happened?" He asked the mortals.

Adam spoke up which surprised Hades but he did not let it show. When he spoke, the King seemed shaken. "She wanted to see more of the castle and Florian took us to see the grounds. She went to see the memorial of the battle. I talked with her about that battle and then she just started to cry out in pain. She kept saying that "they're too loud." Over and over until she collapsed."

Now Hades understood, cursed himself, his brother's idiot laws and the thrones in his side that kept his time away from properly visiting his daughter when she came to Auradon. Those thrones in his side were his brother's paranoia over the security in Tartarus and more importantly _et nigrum in caldarian_. Looking at the King of Auradon, Hades knew he needed to talk to the mortal about this danger. If the Villains get wind about this... it will be the end of Auradon. Hades thinks of it close second to his father ruling over Earth and his paranoia ruling the old Titan.

But the thought of the most dangerous artifact and with the most dangerous villain to ever walk the Earth dormant without its artifact, this villain who escaped being put in the Isle for the past twenty-something years, left at what King Adam said.

"She heard the dead at the battlefield," He said, eyes focusing on Hades. "Am I correct to assume it? That she inherited some of your powers and possibly her mother's powers as well?"

He nodded. Of course, she heard the dead, but it was interesting that she inherited his powers, at least some of them and no doubt she had her mother's sorceress powers as well, Hecate will be pleased to hear about that. Hades was about to speak when he noticed Hercules look out the window. Lighting flashed above and something knotted in Hades gut.

Thunder boomed outside and Hades swore just as loudly. _Damn him!_

"I have to go," He told Hercules. "Your father isn't happy that I'm visiting my daughter. Damn those rules of his."

He turned to the King and Queen of Auradon, he was well aware that Evie was staying with them. "I'll be back soon. I expect that you will be taking her back to your home?"

Belle nodded. "Good. I'll need to talk to both of you privately about something." He stated grimly and with that, he shadow-traveled away to Olympus.

* * *

When Hades returned it was at Castle Beast. Hercules and Megara along with Snow and Florian left to their respected homes already when Hades arrived.

Harry was with Evie along with Ben, keeping her company in her room. He would have to visit her but he needed to talk with the King and Queen first.

The god found them with his dear friends, Hecate, Thanatos, and Hermes. Apollo was nowhere to be seen which wasn't a surprise to him, besides Hermes, the other Olympians barely chatted with the gods and goddesses of the Underworld. It was only when they needed them to something for the Olympians that they acknowledged the Underworld gods. At least Hermes was friendly to them all, he remembered that he found his nephew having tea with Nyx and Erebus a few weeks ago.

Hecate and Thanatos bowed respectfully while Hermes gave him a wave. The King and Queen of Auradon simply nodded, probably still in shock for what has happened over the past few hours.

"I believe you wanted to talk to us, Hades," King Adam said to him. He was itching to correct the King that it was _Lord Hades_ but time was ticking in this case. "I did."

"It has come to my attention over the past week or so that there have been rumors swirling in my area about _et nigrum in caldarian._"

Both mortals looked utterly confused at what Hades said so he translated it. "The Black Cauldron and with it, the Lord of Darkness himself."

Now they understood and paled. The Horned King or Lord of Darkness as others know him as was known across Auradon as a tall-tale. He hasn't been seen since the hero Taran and his gaggle of friends defeated him, back when Auradon was just separate spots of different kingdoms and the Isle of the Lost was just that-_an Isle_. That somewhere in Auradon, in one of these kingdoms, was the kingdom of the possibly now-dead Princess Eilonwy of Llyr, a dead kingdom now called something else in Auradon. All ancient kingdoms were dead, now built upon another name with another family of royals to hold the fort. Hades knew that all too well, he has seen monarchies fall and in their ashes, new ones grew in their place. _Just like Troy..._

"Adam," Belle said grasping her husband's arm. "What are we going to do? We're going to have to let the other kingdoms of-"

"No," Adam said shocking Belle and Hades was about to speak up. He was not going to let this King dig his head in the sand. "What we are not going to do is spread a mass hysteria over this, especially with the arrival of the Isle children. Tomorrow is the announcement that the children are here, we can't just follow that up with a villain panic. If anything, we'll have to delay Ben's coronation until we figure out if the Horned King is back and if he is, pray that we can figure out how to destroy the cauldron before he uses it."

"What does the _et nigrum in caldarian_ do exactly Hades?" The King of Auradon asked him.

Hades smirked. "I did not know you were fluent in Latin King Adam?"

The man chuckled. "Well, being stuck in a castle for years does have a perk to teach yourself different languages. Latin, Greek, Arabian, Mandarin, and French to name a few that could help."Hades couldn't help but agree, remembering being stuck with his siblings inside Kronos stomach. How to fight, heal wounds and all he and Hestia had to teach themselves and then teach their younger siblings about that all inside a mad Titan's stomach. Who knew he would have a weird connection with King Adam of all people?

"Well from what Hecate knows, I-well it's best she tells you. To be honest, I just know that it may bring destruction, the Goddess of magic should know more than me," He pointed to Hecate who merely smiled and nodded her head.

The blonde goddess cleared her throat, waved her hands to show a shimmering image of a beaten up cauldron. "This is it. But the powers of The Black Cauldron is greater, the Horned King brought back his legions of the undead for him to command and cast darkness all over. Auradon and Olympus may be doomed if he comes for it."

"But the Horned King hasn't been seen in-"

"It doesn't matter!" Hecate snapped at them. Blonde hair strands coming out of her low bun as brown eyes flashed. "The Giants never gave a clue that they were coming but they came anyway. The Horned King will do that as well, the last people to defeat them were Taran and Princess Eilonwy of Llyr with their friends but they are long dead, possibly in Elysium, the Isle of The Blessed or..." Hecate trailed off. Hades looked at her, she seemed to hesitate and Hades prodded his friend for more.

"Hecate? Do you not know where they are? I thought that Taran was on the Isle of the Blessed?" He said. "They-He is not the Isle but in Elysium. It's the Princess." She told him.

"The Princess?" Adam frowned.

"Princess Eilonwy, she isn't in Elysium or on the Isle of the Blessed," Hecate said finally and it dawned on Hades. "The River Lethe?." He said quietly but not enough for everyone not to hear. They heard it clearly. Hecate shook her head at his question. "She's still alive."

"How _old_ is she?" Hermes muttered. Hecate gave him a look and Thanatos rolled his eyes at Hermes question.

"Probably close to 90 years old, maybe 100 years old. I'm not entirely sure but she's still alive, the last person to ever face the Horned King is still alive," Hecate told them. "I'll be going to Sherwood Forest, it is where she resides in now since her kingdom is no more. She must know something about it."

"But you must be careful with her health, Lady Hecate," Hades reminded her. "Take Hermes with you as well." Hermes was merely scrolling on the IPad he carried frowning about something and typing quickly.

"What about Auradon?" Belle reminded him. He almost forgot about the kingdom that stood in peril over the Horned King and the Black Cauldron. Adam pointed out, "Like I said, until we know more we wait. Inform the council when we find out if the threat is growing then we make sure that we have everyone protected."

They had some plan and Hades felt sure that the King and Queen wouldn't mess up. Hermes cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Apparently my dear wife is wrong."

Hecate raised an eyebrow. "About?"

"Sherwood. Princess Eilonwy or she's known now as just Eil Llyr, Professor of Magical History and History of Auradon II currently lives in Auradon to work at Auradon Prep. She's actually 78 years old, good for her living a good life!" Hermes stated cheerfully at the people in the room. All of them were taken aback with the information he gave them. The King and Queen had no idea that the Princess that saw the destruction of the Horned King was living among them and teaching their child at Auradon Prep no less!

"Well, it will be easier to talk with her now that we know where she lives," Hecate said. Hades and the mortals nodded. He was about to ask her something when he heard something outside the door.

"Told ya she's bossy!" A boy said. Another one responded with, "With that statement, you could be Queen one day Evie."

He heard the boy groan loudly. "Don't tempt her mate! She already has a big ego, don't go inflating it more!"

"I have a big ego?" A girl's voice shot back. "Look in the mirror one of these day's Hook. I'm sure your head might be a bit too big to see it all in a tiny mirror."

The doors opened to see Ben and Harry holding up a pale Evie on both sides. They stopped bickering once they realized all of the adults' eyes were on them. Belle was the first on the boys with a frown as shescoldedd them. "I thought I told you to let us know when Evie woke up, not to drag the poor thing down here."

"Trust me we tried," Ben said to his mother. "Evie can be..."

"Bossy," Stated Harry. He recived an elbow to the rib by his blue haired companion for that remark.

Hades merely smiled as his eyes stayed glued on Evie as she took her surroundings in looking at Hermes, Hecate, and Thanatos. Brown eyes finally found his blue eyes and they sparkled to life. Before Harry or Ben could release her, she pushed their arms away and shakenly walked to her father. Hades bridged the gap between them and lifted his daughter into his arms feeling her grasp the material of his shirt tightly in her hands and placed her face in the crook of his neck.

Instantly he felt wetness on his neck, Evie's body started to tremble as she sobbed. Hades couldn't help but blink back a few tears himself as he kept holding his daughter in his arms. "I missed your shadow," He whispered to her.

She finally pulled back, tear streaks down her cheek as she tried to calm her breathing down from the sobbing. "Missed you too dad." He kissed the top of her forehead. She wiped her tears and patted his arm to let him know that he can place her on the ground.

He took a good look at her, now taller than the last time he saw her, blue hair still the same vibrant color but he could see some of his natural hair, the dark locks intertwined with the blue. She was still beautiful, it reminded him of Helen of Troy. She was one of the few female demigods along with her half-sister years before another daughter of Zeus, Penthesilia, a Queen of the Amazons. He shook the dead away.

"I'd like to introduce to you my friends," Evie said after calming down, the biggest smile on her face. "That's Prince Ben and this is Harry Hook."

Hades knew who he was. "Harrison Jones, Killian J. Jones son, I presume?" Harry nodded eyebrows raised high as Hades stated his father's full name. Nobody knew about Captain Hook's last name, to everyone he was Hook, nobody had called the man Jones since leaving Oxford in his youth. "Nice to meet you, Harrison."

"Likewise, sir," Harry said back to him, bowing politely.

Evie snickered and Harry shot her a glare. Hades raised an eyebrow at her. "I shouldn't be laughing, Genevive Rhea."

Now it was Evie to turn red and Harry to snicker. "Your full name is Genevive?" He crowed and it looked like Evie was about to go over, punch the boy in the face. "Shut it, Harrison."

Hades put an end to the bickering and led Evie to the other gods to give them an introduction. "Evie, this is Hermes-"

"Cousin!" The god of messengers said pulling Evie into a levitated hug instantly. He pulled back and seemed to analyze her face and broke into a grin. "She has the Olympian look Uncle! Some bone structure that reminds me of Aunt Hestia, she'll be pleased. Welcome to the family kiddo!" Evie nodded back.

Hades continued. "This is Lord Thanatos, God of Death, my right hand and Hermes' wife, Lady Hecate, the Goddess of Magic." Evie bowed politely at them and they seemed genuinely pleased to meet Evie.

"Uncle?" Hermes said. He tapped his IPad. "Almost ten Uncle H. Remember?" Hades sighed, of course, he remembered. Zeus gave him only a few hours to meet with the mortals and to meet his daughter.

"You have to go?" Evie said, her voice hinting at disappointment. "Already?"

Hades tilted her head up to meet his eyes. "Zeus gave me only a few hours. I'm hoping to convince Poseidon to meet me as a way to meet you and Uma. Your Uncle Poseidon would like to meet you and he'd like to meet his granddaughter as well. I'll have to arrange something."

She nodded understandingly. She then remembered something. "Oh, I have the dagger for you. Helen's dagger? You left it on the Isle when you... when you left." Harry got up and said he'd go get it. Within a few minutes, he came back with an object wrapped in a frayed cloth in his hand. He handed it over to Evie, who gave it to her father. "Thank you. I'll have to return this to Troy soon. Hermes, if you don't mind sending a message to Eris, that would be very much appreciative."

The god nodded his head. "I'll see you soon."

"Maybe you can!" Ben blurted out. Hades cocked his head frowning at the young Prince. "Parent's Day! You can come when we start school, right?" He looked towards his parents.

Adam cleared his throat. "Those are the rules, yes. But it is up for Lord Hades to decide, son." He took note that the King said _Lord_... mmmh maybe the villain kids aren't the only ones changing in Auradon. Adults do need the shove to change once in a while and King Adam needed more than a shove to change.

"I'll see if my schedule is cleared for that day. If not, I'm sure Hercules or Snow can go in my place to not, ah, _shake up the foundation._" His eyes twinkled with mirth at seeing the of the parents of Auradon squirm if he went. "Back to the matter at hand with you, before I leave I will be getting Hercules to come once in a while to train you. You'll need training with your powers and Hercules is one of the only candidates I trust. About your magical abilities, I'm not sure." He sais truthfully.

Belle stepped in. "We can find someone to help the children. Fairy Godmother is already going to train Jay, Celia, and Mal in their magic but Evie's is different than creature magic. I'm sure we can find someone else to teach her." Hades nodded. He turned to Hecate for any offers.

"Hecate? Anyone, you might know?"

The minor goddess smirked slightly. "I may know someone. I'll send her your way, she'll be more than happy to offer her help." Hades left it at that, he thinks he might know who she would send but Hades wasn't too sure. He said his goodbyes along with the other gods and shadow-traveled back to the Underworld before Zeus got any ideas to blast him. The storm outside proving his point when thunder boomed menacingly. He was tempted to yell at the sky but knew better. It would send a target for Evie.

He knew that Evie was in good hands and that the mortal Royals will heed his warning of the threat. It was enough for now, Hades knew it but not enough. That would have to come with time and he knew full well that time couldn't be shoved more, he knew it from being stuck in the stomach of the Time Lord.

* * *

_**NOTES:**_ **Oooooh, shit is going down in this chapter. Also, one other quote I used in this chapter and will be used as the story goes on is from Percy Jackson. I decided to go with OUAT's Hook name. Plus I think Harry Jones has a good ring to it right?**

**More Greek Gods will make appearances throughout the story and more Disney characters too. Also, looking up demigods there are less female demigods than male (not surprised...) I counted at least four or five female demigods.**

**For Apollo, I see _Lin Manuel-Miranda _**

**For Thanatos, of course, I went with AHS veteran, _Evan Peters_**

**For Hecate, it is _Billie Lourde _**

**I made Princess Eilonwy's birth around the time Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs appeared on the big screen which was in 1937. Giving some recognition to Princess Eilonwy and the Black Cauldron movie!**

**Don't own the quote obviously.**

**Next chapter we find out what's going on with Mal as the summer progresses and the reactions to the Isle kids coming to live in Auradon permanently. Romance is budding slowly in the next chapter as well as the buddies come together (sort of)**

**ENJOY! **


	6. it's a small world after all!

**Chapter Six: it's a small world after all!**

_"The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it."_ **— Rafiki, The Lion King**

* * *

She heard Mal whimper in the bathroom.

The bathroom was connected to her room, so when Audrey opened the door she did not expect the sight she saw. Audrey almost retched at the sight of Mal, her back red and a singular tear down her back where her spine was.

It was a large scar that looked old but also new as if whoever did it, re-did the action on the wound once again. Mal looked tiny as she was hugging her sides and let out another whimper as Audrey closed the door.

Her head whipped around to see her and Audrey saw the look of a wild animal backed into a corner. Mal looked ready to fight but Audrey knelt down. "Mal... I know that you don't know me and I don't know you but I do know when someone is hurting. Can I take a look at it?"

Mal was visibly shaking, her eyes trying to figure out if it was a trick or not that Audrey was trying to pull but she wasn't. She was concerned for the younger girl and Mal could plainly see it. Mal took in a shaky breath and nodded her head to allow Audrey to look at her back. She quickly got the first aid-kit that was kept underneath the sink, opened it up and started to try to clean the wound on the girl's back.

Mal looked much tinier in person and Audrey wondered if she was actually fourteen. She might have said it out loud startling the younger girl. She shook her head quietly not making a single sound and bringing up Audrey's curiosity about the girl in general.

"I'm thirteen," She said. "Mom just likes to make it seem like I'm older so everyone can fear me. That's what she told me, that's why she took my wings. They won't use it against me."

"To make you powerful?" Audrey asked her attention to the scar as she cleaned it out. "No, to make me learn. Like she did."

"What do you mean?" She whispered fear gripped her stomach.

"Stefan, he took my mom's wings because she was a fool to love. So, mom took my wings to make sure I wouldn't be a fool to love like her." Her voice sounded robotic as if it had been drilled into her head since birth and the emotion behind it was sucked out.

_Stefan? Her grandfather King Stefan?_

"What did Jay mean, when he said that nobody fears you, Mal?" She could feel the purple-haired girl stiffen under her touch at the question. "Mal?"

"If I told you," Mal said. "You'd hate me."

"I don't think so," Audrey countered. "Try me."

So that's who she fixed Mal wound as the purple-haired girl told the story of what Maleficent wanted to do when the kids were chosen to come to Auradon-to do major harm in Auradon. It sent fear in Audrey's stomach but she pushed it away reminding herself to be brave as her dad.

_She hasn't done anything yet,_ Audrey reminded herself. _She's holding back by the looks of it? But why?_

"She told me that if I failed that I'll be getting it this time," She whimpered as Audrey put another bandage on the girl's back. "That I'll do the same thing I'll do to the beastie. She started to say some chant and I think she cursed me." Her voice went to a whisper and Audrey's eyes widened.

"I'm not feared, I'm not even liked on the Isle. I know how they talk about me," Mal said. "They don't like me and _you_ don't like me."

"It doesn't help to make faces and sound rude," Audrey told the girl. "You have to trust. It goes both ways for you and us too. Give us a chance and I'm sure they'll give you a chance too Mal."

"What about the curse? My mom, she cursed me to die if I failed."

"Are you sure it was to... die?" Audrey said worriedly. "Maybe its something different?" Mal gave her a flat look and Audrey shrugged. "I'm sorry! Just trying to find a good outcome for this. You can't blame me."

Taking a deep breath, the daughter of Aurora pondered. Maleficent cursed her mother, an infant at her christening and she had a grudge against Stefan who may or may not be her grandfather, who took her wings. It kept running through her minds as she took a tearful Mal and ran straight into her dad and Jay, who must have gotten back from playing a few rounds of Tourney. Her dad had been the one to teach Jay the wonderful sport of Tourney and Jay had all but taken it with the look of a bright-eyed youth seeing it... well for the first time. Her dad had mentioned that he was going to have all the kids to watch a game at one of the stadium of Auroria. That was still to be decided which day.

Her dad seemed to sense something off from the fact that Audrey had wrapped a towel around Mal's still exposed back and the young girl's face was puffy with tear streaks down her face. His dark eyes flickered to Audrey silently asking her questions that she couldn't respond and she could feel Jay's heated gaze on her as well. All Audrey could say was, "We need to talk to all of you. Where's mom?"

Her mother was meeting with her grandmother who hadn't had a kind word for the villain kids since Ben had announced his proclamation to bring the kids over from the Isle. Queen Leah had been yelling her head up and down while her grandfather Stefan had a major scowl on his face at the news.

She made the biggest mistake of bringing in Mal into the large office where Aurora, Leah, and Stefan were in a heated argument. All three looked at the small group, Philip apologizing to his wife and Audrey holding Mal close to her when the young girl froze in pure fear.

"Mother, Father," Aurora said to her parents. "This is Jay, son of Jafar and Mal, daughter of Maleficent."

Leah yelled making both Jay and Mal flinch. Audrey took notice of that. "First, that boy brings in the daughter of Hades who, might I add is also the Evil Queen's daughter! And now you brought _her_ spawn into your home, where my granddaughter stays?! Aurora have you lost your mind!?"

"That's enough Leah!" Philip came to his wife's aid. He glared at his in-laws as Stefan spoke up. His tone was cold as the icy winds of Arendelle. "She is something wicked, something monstrous like her mother-"

"No," Aurora said. Her voice was steel cutting through the entire room, a tone Audrey had never heard her mom speak in before. "No. She wasn't before, she only changed when _you _told everyone how to cut out her wings!"

She looked at them, her eyes laser-focused and upset. "I need you to leave my home."

Leah made an attempt to argue that Audrey shouldn't be here with "those children" but Aurora put her foot down, send a verbal stab at her parents. "Her _real parents_ will know what's best for her. _Not her grandparents_."

King Stefan and Queen Leah left, Stefan seemed to stare at Mal with a look that sent chills down Audrey's spine.

She could hear Mal's word about her grandfather come back, _"Stefan, he took my mom's wings because she was a fool to love."_ Her grandparents hated Maleficent with a passion, but her mom seemed to never speak ill about the Mistress of Evil at all when she grew up. If anything, talking about Maleficent made Aurora almost, melancholy or looked like she was grieving.

"Mom?" Audrey finally spoke up. Aurora seemed to have forgotten about the three teens. "Mom, did grandpa Stefan cut off Maleficent's wings?"

Aurora stiffened, eyes flickering from Audrey to Mal like a tennis match. "How do you know about that?"

Audrey looked at Mal, silently asking for permission to tell. Mal looked scared but gave a small jerk of a nod to her. "Because she did the same thing to Mal." Her voice was tearful and small. She didn't look at Jay or her dad, keeping her eyes trained on her mom. Aurora looked devastated, as she slowly approached Mal as if the small girl might run away.

Aurora finally reached her, taking her face into her soft hands as she started to cry. Mal spoke up, her voice wavering with emotion. "She told me about another person she cursed, someone she loved called Beastie. I don't know who it might be-if that Princess might hate me or-" Mal babbled tearfully but Aurora cut her off with a wet chuckle.

"_Beastie_, I haven't heard that name in a long time. No Mal. I don't think I would be angry, I was just sad with what had happened to her. I thought she finally found enough love with her _Pretty_ _Bird_ but I guess I was a fool to believe it." Aurora spoke out loud. Mal had a shocked face and so did the rest minus her dad. He just stood behind his wife, holding her shoulder. "You look like them. Like Fairy Godmother and Pretty Bird."

"Your Beastie," Mal whispered, her green eyes wide with tears shining. Aurora nodded and it finally made sense to Audrey. Why Audrey had Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather as her Fairy Godmother's much to grandma Leah's annoyance and some slight confusion from the rest of the kingdom. Because Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather weren't in Aurora's eyes as her fairy godmothers. In Princess Aurora's eyes and memories, it was Maleficent who was her Fairy Godmother.

Maleficent was her mother's Fairy Godmother and she was _nice_ to Aurora. That whole sentence right there felt like it did not make sense but her father and mother didn't seem like they were cracking any jokes about this, so Audrey would take it has the truth.

Aurora showed them an old rickety wooden box. The three children looked utterly confused until Aurora opened it and stared into it beholding the contents inside it. In the box was a wilting flower crown, the ribbons were white but old.

"This was the crown she gave me," Aurora explained. "She crowned me Queen of the Moore, I still am their Queen and so will Audrey when she is of age." Mal nodded in understanding.

"Mom told me about that," She said.

Aurora gave the young girl a small smile. "Fairy Godmother..." The words seemed to trail out of her mouth. To Audrey at that moment, her mother seemed to have aged a bit. "I loved her very much Mal and she did as well but she was so hurt by what my father did when she backed war against my parents, it broke her. I tried to have them see reason, I did but it wasn't enough. I was just a child in their eyes, and I wanted them to love me so I let them hurt her. She never forgave me and rightly so. When the Gods brought her back I thought I could get her to see reason but Diaval, he warned me against it. Told me that Maleficent wasn't the same as before, she was broken, deeply broken and seeing me would set her off worse. She left and I tried to bury it down in vain."

"Until I got here," Mal said.

"Yes, until you got here. It seemed like fate made me a do-over, with me taking care of my Fairy Godmother's child. I want to help you Mal, both of you." She looked at Jay to prove a point. "If you give me a chance, please Mal."

The young girl nodded, she was shaking. The pink towel wrapped around her small frame. "She hurt me and I'm sorry she hurt you. She does that a lot." Aurora let out a wet chuckle, trying not to breakdown and sob in front of them all. "I'm sorry Mal."

But even at this sight, there was still something nagging her at the back of her mind. What did Mal mean by _"if I fail?"_ _What would she fail? What mission did Maleficent entrust on the young girl?_

* * *

Some of the Royals knew about the villain kids already living with foster parents but almost all of Auradon did not know was Evie's dad. That was until it was blown right open for all of Auradon to see.

"Someone leaked the news about Hades being Evie's dad out," Ben yelled into the peaceful library, behind him were the two VK's who almost rammed into each other. King Adam felt a headache about to rupture in his head or maybe it was a vein?

He wasn't sure anymore.

What he was sure, however, was the pure anger that he would no doubt be receiving by Evie's father when news gets to him. He would deal with this, he would but that would go on hold until after Evie's first magic lesson. He and Belle can strategize what to do while watching Evie's lessons.

"We can brainstorm while Evie is in her lessons," Adam told the trio as he and Belle took them to meet the person or god who was waiting outside. When they finally got there, Adam stopped dead in his tracks, Belle gasped and he felt like he was having some hallucination.

She was younger than the last time he saw her, right after he turned back into a human. Her hair was still blonde, still curly but her face seemed rounder and softer as a youth. She looked a bit older than Ben's age, maybe early twenties. But there was no denying that the Enchantress was standing right there in his backyard, his servants, the ones who were turned alongside him all looked nervous. Chip looked nervous, announcing, "This is Lady Circe, Evie's teacher in magic." With that, the young man left as if the ground was on fire. Adam wished it was so he can leave.

The Enchantress smirked, her eyes glued on Adam. "Hello Beast, Belle. It's nice to see you both again after so many years," She spoke calmly. Ben looked back and forth between them until he finally got the answer. "Enchantress," Adam said.

Evie and Harry looked concerned about this situation but Circe reassured everyone. "I am not here to plant a curse unless the King somehow regressed back then _maybe_. He's learning once again and I'm glad for that. Now, I'll be teaching Genevieve new tricks and magical ones no less!" She sounded utterly cheerful despite the tension in the garden and out in Auradon over the scandal. "At the request of her father and my mother."

Sometimes, the Greek Gods of the Ancient Lands never seized to confuse Adam.

Evie approached the goddess and bowed. Circe nodded approvingly and had Evie stand next to her, facing away from the group. Adam took that as a queue to let Circe do her thing and he had everyone sit on the long table outside as they watched Evie cause sparks to erupt out of her fingertips. Circe clapped her hands and taught her the same trick again. Ben clapped his hands together to get everyone's attention.

"What are we going to do about the news?" Ben asked looking at his parents. "It's already too late to contain it and from the look of it, something is brewing on Olympus. The Gods are in a bad mood and it's spreading all over Auradon with a storm headed towards us all." Ben showed the reports and Adam couldn't help bur grimace. So much for trying to fix this, he thought.

_It's already trending_, He thought.

Evie was still training as the rest of them tried to find ways but it was futile at this point past a few hours. They needed to get a press release out and fast.

"I can do it," Ben offered but Adam shook his head. He was still King, it was his duty to do so. "No, _I'll_ do it. I'm still King, it's my responsibility."

"Responsibility for what?" Circe asked. Evie was a bit sweaty but otherwise pleased with herself as she sat next to Harry and poured herself a glass of water. Circe still had her eyes trained on Adam as she waited for a response.

"Someone told all of the news outlets that Evie is Hades child. It's sending panic all over the kingdom at the moment," He explained. "We don't know who it could be, I doubt it was any of the other parents who fostered the other Isle children."

Circe's smiling or smirking face was wiped off. She looked to Evie for confirmation and the young girl merely nodded her head. The goddess' face grew troublesome. "He lied," She muttered something in Greek that made Evie frown a bit. "I have to return for a bit, keep Evie here in the castle until I return. I will explain everything I promise."

Without giving everyone else a chance, Circe disappeared in a puff of grey smoke.

Harry looked at Evie, poking her with his finger. "What is it? You aren't sensing the dead aren't ya?"

Ever since Evie's powers and her close encounter with the dead, Harry and Ben have been making sure Evie was okay. He couldn't blame them, he and Belle were also making sure the girl was doing well, getting her energy up since those days after. He has been trying to be better, it wouldn't do much but he knew better than go back.

"Evie?"

Her eyes finally drew up but the frown was still there, it reminded Adam of Hercules whenever he was having trouble understanding the way the council meeting moved. "She said, _this will end up being like Illium all over again._"

"What the hell is an Ilium?" Harry asked, crossing his arms.

Evie shrugged. "I'm not sure, my dad, he never talked about a place called that."

_Ilium? Whatever it was, it sounded bad for the Enchantress to be worried and flee back to her home, _He thought to himself.

* * *

When she did return, the storm was raging over Auradon. The winds rattled so much and he had everyone in the library surrounded by the books that Ben and Bell read. A fire was lit and they were watching the news as they ate dinner.

They usually never ate dinner in the library but today it did not seem to matter that much for them. Adam gave the press conference two hours after Circe abruptly left yesterday and watched as everyone still seemed to think a fifteen-year-old girl was going to set Auradon on fire. The media had clamored to get the scoop on this turn of events asking Adam where the girl currently lived. He flat out told them that any of the Isle kids' whereabouts are private, no one knows where in Auradon they lived but they are happy at the moment. That set off another frenzy for them.

_What did I create_, was his train of thought as he finally put the TV on mute and turned to his chess game with Harry. Ben was reading, while Belle and Evie talked about something. He looked at the board and saw that Harry was about to beat him.

"Beast," Came the stern voice of Circe, disrupting the lulling quiet of the library. But she did not come alone, behind her was two other goddesses dressed in black and white, with flower crowns on their heads and two older gods. One her recognized, wielding a trident was Poseidon, King Triton's father. The other god was actually a goddess, her hair was dark brown in braids with a golden crown on her head, holding a staff in one hand and her dress shimmered with peacock feathers on it. She looked kinder but held herself up with grace and was the type of goddess that Adam did not want to insult from the looks of it. Adam, Belle, and the kids got up and bowed.

"Lady Circe, Uncle Poseidon," Evie greeted them but she looked at the three gods as if trying to figure out who was who. The Goddess standing next to Poseidon smiled warmly at Evie, a twinkle in her brown eyes. Poseidon was the one to present the three.

"Genevieve," Adam could hear Harry snicker and Evie whipped her head to glare at the other boy. She turned back and seemed to apologize in Greek, her cheeks flushing red with embarrassment but Poseidon did not seem to be offended just amused. "These are your sister, Melinoe, goddess of ghosts bringer of nightmares and madness and this is Macaria, goddess of blessed death."

He could see Eve freeze at the realization that her two half-sisters were here in front of her. The two goddesses, however, were cheerful apart from the dark and grey dresses they wore and crowns that looked like shriveled up flowers with jewelry glittering on them. They enveloped Evie in a hug.

"It's nice to finally meet you, little sister!" Macaria said cheerfully. Melinoe nodded giving her a friendly smile. "You too," Evie said rather weakly and overwhelmed with four gods.

Melinoe and Macaria started to talk rapidly in Greek that Adam couldn't understand that well, Poseidon had to stop both girls as the unnamed goddess that stood next to the Lord of the Sea muttered something to him. Whatever Poseidon had said to both girls seemed to upset them. Finally, the two immortal daughters of Hades relented to their Godly Uncle's words, apologizing to Evie with soft smiles. The dark-haired one, Melinoe looked at them.

"I hope my littlest sister is treated well on Earth?" She asked them, her voice taking a cold edge to it. Adam and Belle both nodded, not trusting their voices to speak. "Good."

Macaria apologized but still repeated her elder sister's words. Both goddesses disappeared by shadows leaving the older gods behind here in the library.

The unnamed goddess shook her head. "They take after his temper," Poseidon snickered. "They all take after our tempers, little sister."

"Sister?" Evie asked she seemed to be trying to figure out who was the goddess. Her eyes seemed to scan the goddess and it dawned on her. "Peacock feathers... Queen Hera!" She exclaimed and knelt down.

Adam's eyes grew wide and did the exact same thing along with Belle, Harry, and Ben.

Hera, Queen Hera of Olympus usually was never seen on Earth. Usually, it was Zeus and Poseidon who went down from Olympus to talk with the mortal heroes or royals, Hera never came to those meetings. Zeus usually explained it off with a, "Oh she doesn't do mortal gatherings." or "They'll bore her and she's busy on Olympus at the moment."

Now she was here with Poseidon and her husband upon Olympus. Something wasn't right about this, Adam could feel it. Too bad he was right.

"It was Zeus," Hera said, her face a mask made out of marble it seemed because there was no emotion as she spoke. Poseidon on the other hand, had a flurry of emotions on his face, too many for Adam to name. "Zeus with _Pheme's_ help spread Hade's little secret of having a demigod daughter for the first time."

"Demeter wasn't pleased about that news," Poseidon said, his lips pursed. Hera nodded in agreement. "The only Gods that knew where the Underworld Gods, you father, and Uncles. Hermes kept his big mouth shut but Pheme isn't that restrained when it comes to gossip."

"But I thought Gods could see anything?" Evie asked. "They can," Hera said slowly. "But some demigods can hide with the mist, it's what Circe and Hecate can control and at one point what your mother could control before being locked away. The Mist, my dear niece, is something that your father and Lady Hecate held over the Isle in order to hide you for a while, Zeus knew about your existence but he used it against your father today."

Hera sighed. "Why?" She asked. "Well, that's a good question but you chalk it up with Zeus' paranoia. Out of the six of us, Zeus took over that genetic very well, more so than Hades."

Poseidon rumbled. "We come here at the behest of your father, he's cooling down at the moment with Persephone and Hestia. Dear sister Hestia was worried that your father would invoke another Pompeii incident again." Hera had the same face that Poseidon pulled and Adam could now see how similar both Olympians looked the same as Evie with the expression.

"Lines are drawn and taut at the moment on Olympus, no doubt heroic _Hercules has told so much sweet stuff about me? I_ am not the greates step-mother that I will admit but I will be damned to let anyone else think I am not a good Queen to Olympus. My husband on the other has slowly been losing his grip, too stubborn to admit it," Hera spat out the name like it was bitter on her tongue and for a moment, Evie all but flinched a bit. Belle was all but ready to go draw Evie back to her but Adam held out an arm. It would be seen as an insult to the Queen of Olympus, the Gods were tense at the moment. They could not afford a miscommunicated insult, verbal or non-verbal to set them off. Hera continued. "But he did this because he thinks this will keep him _in_ power. My husband forgets what brought down the last person who sat on a similar throne on another mountain." Both Hera and Poseidon's eyes were distant for a split second only to return to their brown coloring as if they blasted the memories back with their powers.

"Am I in danger then?" Evie asked, her shoulder slumping as if accepting her fate.

_Is this how Hercules accepted his fate as a demigod? Accepting the fact that you may or may not be killed at the hands of your Gods? Your own relatives? _Adam thought horrified.

Hera shrugged. "I do not know, child. I do not want to see my favorite older brother's half-blood be killed by someone's paranoia and irrationality. That was not your fault, nor do I want to see Hades steer the Underworld for an attack against Olympus. Zeus would most likely do that himself if he doesn't apologize to him and you." That wasn't reassuring to them, especially to Evie who looked utterly overwhelmed in that moment.

"What your Aunt Hera is trying to say," Poseidon cut in. "Is hat you aren't in danger at the moment. Zeus doesn't want to cause any war against himself or Olympus as he's telling it but his actions at the moment differ. Your communication with your father will be scarce as time goes, I'm sorry. We will try to sort this mess out so it will not spill on Earth. For now, keep yourself well Evie and with good company, many demigods need that as time goes on."

Poseidon and Hera said their goodbyes and left. Evie turned around, her rosy face was paler like the day she was on Snow White's bed. She gave them a weak smile. "Well," She said laughing weakly. "At least we know who leaked my secret to the media."

* * *

Belle decided that the kids needed a day away from the castle. They needed some time away, especially her husband and son, the later who felt angry at the decision to push his coronation to the end of his last year in Auradon Prep. Belle got them to sit down and talk the day after, Evie and Harry left to visit Cinderella's castle wanting to see Uma and Dizzy. Belle had both her husband and son to talk things through. In the end, Ben understood but wanted to still help make sure everything with the Isle children ran smoothly which Adam and Belle wholeheartedly agree to that. They needed the help to navigate this new climate they were entering in Auradon.

When Evie and Harry returned, smiles on their faces ("Chad kicked Harry's butt in that ROAR game," Evie cackled, Harry scowled but then later jovial recounted how Evie tripped as she and Dizzy pretended they were models walking down the stairs.) -Belle announced the trip with another surprise.

They both agreed, wondering aloud where they were going. Evie was hopeful it was going to be the Ancient Lands but she knew better and everyone else as well considering the tense situation going on Olympus. Her presence there would ignite a firestorm, Evie understood well enough that they were not traveling there.

No, they were going to DunBroch and later to Prince Eric's kingdom, Andersen but on the road and sea no less. Ben asked why they weren't taking the jet and Belle told them that, "It wouldn't be safe for Evie to fly in the sky considering Zeus commands the skies. Safer on the road and in the sea, since we've observed Poseidon being fond of Evie."

There was no argument there and they agreed wholeheartedly to the road trip. The surprise Belle had for them was that Aurora and Philip would be accompanying them along with Audrey, Jay and Mal. That seemed to brighten everyone' moods as Belle told them to start packing.

Summer wasn't over, still a month until they returned to school but Belle wouldn't let them squander the days being stuck in the castle even Adam who had already dealt with long rants from multiple sidekicks and other realms for letting Ben bring over Hades child. Queen Leah went on a very large rant that offended Adam so much, he hung up midway through the conversation and took a long walk around the castle for the remainder of the day.

They all needed this break from the castle and the looming dread that hung over them.

* * *

"Why didn't you mention that next week was your birthday! Oh, I'm so sorry Evie!" Belle cried. They had gotten everything packed as Friday morning began and Prince Philip came rolling into the driveway with the looming white car.

Evie shrugged. "We're going to plan something small when we get back or maybe we can plan something in Eric's castle. Yes, that could work actually," Belle said out loud already planning for the girl's birthday. Adam put a hand on her shoulder to steer her towards their car. They would be taking two cars, Philip would follow Adam on the drive to the docks, setting sail to DunBroch first.

Aurora waved from her seat and Philip gave them a wave as the servants put their luggage already in the car. Ben and Harry got in first, sitting in the back and Evie sat in the seating area. Once everyone got settled in, they drove away from Castle Beast.

_They needed this_, Belle thought to herself as they got farther away. _We all do_.

* * *

Things were not going great. Sometimes, Hades really wanted to wring Zeus neck or wish Hera had become ruler of Olympus instead of _dear baby Zeus. _At least she had a good head on her immortal shoulders. At least she wouldn't be trying to threaten and kill her own niece.

His anger was palpable all across the Underworld that even Midas didn't bother to say any sarcastic or negative comments that he usually shot at during the meeting between the King and the Judges of the Underworld. Nobody dared cross Hades anymore than he had been through these past few days. But for Zeus, it seemed crystal clear.

That Evie was seen as a threat to him and Olympus as a whole, while Hades denied everything. It did not help that in the heat of the moment after it was revealed that Zeus had Pheme tell-all on Earth who Evie's father was, that Hades lost it. His temper was equal to his siblings in that, once the trigger was pulled, you wished you had died at seeing the six tempers flare.

"At least I'm not going completely fucking bonkers. _At least I'm not turning into fucking Kronos himself and try and kill a fucking child!_" He roared for all of the heavens to hear him. While Zeus yelled back, rising to his feet as the smell in the air turned to that of ozone, the smell of a storm. "I AM NOT HIM! I AM ZEUS, KING OF THE GODS AND OLYMPUS! I. AM. NOT. KRONOS."

But he had seen it in his eyes, the same look that Zeus had at that moment during their fight was the same one Kronos had during the battle at the top of Mount Othrys when the three brothers finally cornered the Titan. People seem to forget that while Zeus set them free, their father still commanded his own brethren to fight the war while he healed on Othrys. When they cornered him there, the look in his eyes was still seared into Hades mind for eons.

It was the look in the eyes of a man ready to take down his threat to keep himself on the throne.

When he got back, Hades went to the office he and Persephone shared. The piano hadn't been touched since he got back to the Underworld years ago. Sitting down, he started playing as the song tumbled out of his mouth.

_"Slow down, you crazy child_  
_You're so ambitious for a juvenile_  
_But then if you're so smart, then tell me_  
_Why are you still so afraid?"_

His voice trailed off without ever finishing the song. Something needed to be done before something happened to Evie. He got papers and started writing quickly scribbling in dark ink, the echoes of the piano keys still in the quiet room..

It was high time for a family reunion.

* * *

**Notes: _the way i'm writing Zeus is frightening me, very scary. especially in the next chapter, lots of family feels but for now, it is the usual messiness of the Olympians that I love to write._**

_**Circe, for me, is played by Sabrina Carpenter**_  
_**Poseidon, is played by Chadwick Boseman**_  
_**Zeus, is played by Wes Bentley**_  
**_Hera is played by Zoe Kravitz_**


	7. the echoes of troy

**Chapter Seven: the echoes of troy**

_"No! You'll not have me! My power cannot die! Curse you!"_ **-The Horned King, The Black Cauldron**

* * *

Olympus was big and made from marble. The gardens were lush and green beyond the eyes of the world. Hestia tended to the fire as another meeting adjourned. She was ignored by some, her sisters chatted with her, sometimes Poseidon or Hades stayed with her until twilight surrounded the sky, leaving for their domains. Zeus ignored her, as did many of the other Olympians. She was used to it.

She was Hestia, tender to the hearth on Olympus and on Earth, of family, of the home, of the state and the rightful order of domesticity.

But to the elder four, the ones that lived in those dark times in Kronos' stomach, she was Hestia the protector. Hestia, their elder sister.

She waited until almost everyone cleared, importantly Zeus then she walked over to Demeter and Hera as they made their way to her. She turned herself into a grown woman, taking her little sister aback with her actions. She handed them a scroll each, thrusting them into their hands.

"Read this and then burn it," She told them. "Do not tell anyone, not even Zeus. Meet where it tells you, be discreet, our lives depend on it sisters." Hestia turned and disappeared into the hearth.

Hera unscrolled the paper, seeing a line that simply read in greek, Go_ to the Metroon in Olympia._

They arrived around the same time, walking together. Hera and Demeter on Hestia's sides as she walked in the middle, in her hand a flame to guide them in the night. They did not dare use their magic instead of hiding in the Mist and walking to the temple at night. When they got closer another figure emerged, they tensed only to see that it was Poseidon and Pegasus. The horse snorted before flying away from the god.

He bowed respectfully to his sisters, kissing each one of their hands. "I received your message, Hestia," He said to her. "What is going on?" His brows furrowing. "Why call us here to Mother's temple?"

"I wasn't the one who called us all here," She told them with a sly smile. "I was just the messenger." She leads them into the temple of Rhea and could hear the sound of a piano playing. Closer, as they could hear a man's voice sing as the piano played on.

_"Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?_  
_You'd better cool it off before you burn it out_  
_You've got so much to do_  
_And only so many hours in a day_

_But you know that when the truth is told_  
_That you can get what you want or you get old_  
_You're gonna kick off before you even_  
_Get halfway through_  
_When will you realize, Vienna waits for you"_

When they entered the room, two couched faced each other, a fire roaring and far in the side behind the couch on the right side of the room was Hades. The four siblings walked over to meet the eldest son of Kronos as he continued singing the song.

_"Slow down, you're doing fine_  
_You can't be everything you want to be_  
_Before your time_  
_Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight_  
_Tonight,_  
_Too bad but it's the life you lead_  
_You're so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need_  
_Though you can see when you're wrong, you know_  
_You can't always see when you're right. you're right_

_You've got your passion, you've got your pride_  
_But don't you know that only fools are satisfied?_  
_Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true_  
_When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?"_

They knew he could sense them, all gods could. He trailed off as the keys on the piano echoed in the room. It was silent as the sound felt haunting in here. Nobody ever came here, even Rhea herself, spending her time in Mount Othrys instead.

They were safe here, away from prying eyes. Especially the eyes youngest of the Kronos and Rhea's brood.

Hades turned in his seat, his blue eyes relieved so to see them here as if he had doubts about them coming. "That was a lovely song Ade," Hestia said to him, calling Hades' name in Italian. He smirked at her, bowing his head slightly like he used to do whenever he received praised by Hestia as they grew. "Thank you, Hestia." He murmured quietly.

The amusement in the air and especially in Hades' eyes died down quickly. Turning amusement to serious blue eyes. "Brother and Sisters," He greeted them. "We need to talk, as a family."

"Those words never end well for us," Poseidon muttered and Demeter nodded in agreement with her little brother's words. Hera rolled her eyes at them while Hestia pinched the bridge of her nose. Hades did not react, his face was still the same. Lips straight in a line and eyes deadly serious. He had a dark shadow on his jaw, the beard grew back looking just like he had before being shipped off to the Isle years ago. His dark hair was mused as if he hadn't noticed how messy it was or maybe he just did not care, his attention somewhere else.

They sat down two across the other three. Hestia and Hades. Demeter, Hera, and Poseidon. The fire still roared as Hades poured sweet wine in a silver goblet for each of his siblings. Hades wasn't going to talk with just the silence so started playing music on an old record player that looked like it hadn't aged at all over the decades. Instantly as the needle hit, the music flowed out. It wasn't the slow song that Hades had played on the piano, instead, it was fast-paced and a catchy tune. When each had their share of drinks, he began to talk as the song played in the room.

_"Istanbul was Constantinople_  
_Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople_  
_Been a long time gone, Oh Constantinople_  
_Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night"_, The song sang as the siblings settled to talk.

"We have a duty, years ago to stop Kronos," He told them. "Now, I believe that our little brother may be following down his steps."

Hera nodded, gripping her green dress tightly in her hand while balancing her goblet in the other. The wedding ring on her finger glimmered from the fire. "I agree with Hades," She said to him. Her brown eyes looked worrisome. "He's changed. He won't be able to be talked down and if we wait any longer, it could cost us a lot of bodies."

They all looked at one another flickering and looked old, grey hair and lines across their faces before going back to a youthful thirty and forty-something appearances. They were ancient, could feel it in their bones and the ichor in their veins.

"We can't have another Troy," Hestia said anxiously. It was the buzz around Olympus and amongst the gods, especially the minor gods who had nothing better to do but see history repeat itself among the higher-ups. Only this time, it was the elder Hades against the youngest Zeus, two brothers on the brink of war and the minor gods were already calling it the next Trojan War amongst the Gods. "We also need more on our side to make him fall. We can't go against him like last time. His wrath... it will be pinned against me, you all know that." Hera's voice cracked, Poseidon reached for his sister's hand, taking it trying to comfort her.

"We have to get the other gods involved," Hestia spoke this time. Her eyes flickered to each one of her siblings. "We need all of the Olympians to band together along with the minor gods to do this."

"I will counsel the other gods in my domain. Besides Hera, Nyx is the only other goddess our little brother fears," Hades gave them all a grin. "Maybe it's time to put that story to the test once more?"

"You already have enough on your plate as it is Hades," Hera reminded him. He did not need the reminder from his little sister, he and Hecate have been trying to find something on the Black Cauldron or the Horned King before going to Princess Eilonwy. Just a scrap from talking to the spirit of Taran was barely enough information.

_"Eilonwy knows more," He told Hades. "She will tell you how to defeat it once and for all before some fool tries to bring him back." Hades thanked him without cursing the soul out._

"I will go talk to my children," Hera said. "I already told Hermes," Hades mentioned to his siblings. That left the others to tell. Demeter would go see Dionysus, Persephone, while Poseidon went to Delphi to talk with the twins along with Aphrodite. "I can talk to Aphrodite," Hestia offered. "I am after all the most ignored of the gods." Her smile was sardonic, one that mirrored Hades' or Hera's smiles during meetings.

Hades touched his elder sister's hand. "Never to us, Hestia." The other siblings murmured the same sentiment to their elder sister.

"Hermes will keep his mouth shut but I think it would be wise for us to go see Athena together," Hades told his siblings. Poseidon had a scowl on his face at the mention of his rival. "All of us together, along with the rest of his children need to talk to her as a united front. She is Zeus's favorite child, out of all the children he sired-both mortal and immortal, Athena has always been his favorite. If we lose her, no doubt she will tell her father of our plans. We need Athena on our side and that must be together." He shot Poseidon a look to reign his petulance in. The second youngest son of Rhea conceded.

"We need this to work," Hades pressed on to his siblings. "It needs to work."

* * *

Evie had one bad habit growing up. She pressed her fingernails into her palm as if curling it into fist only for it to draw blood, painfully.

Her father tried to break that habit and he did but when he left and Evie had to go live with her mother longer, the habit came back. She couldn't stop on the Isle and she couldn't stop here as they sailed to DunBroch for a vacation, as Belle put it.

She could hear King Adam's booming voice as he, Prince Philip and the boys all played an impromptu game of Tourney on the ship, tossing the ball back and forth. Mal was chatting with Aurora as Belle, sitting next to them was reading a book. She would have joined them but Evie felt off.

She couldn't get the words Circe spoke out of her mind. _This will end up being like Illium all over aga_in, that is what the goddess had said. That is would end up like Illium, something that Evie had no idea what it was until she had taken a nap after leaving the docks away from Auradon.

The dream was vivid in Evie's mind, she was seeing everything on fire. _**The tower on her left where she was looking out of her room, seeing the tower on fire illuminating the city was burning alongside the tower.**_

_**"The towers of Illium burn. Was I the one that burned the towers of Illium?" She said out loud. "The people will burn with them but I will not. Menelaus will see to it that I come home to Sparta alive while Troy burns."**_

_**She heard the tower fall, cracking down to the floor with the fire still burning and spreading. She looked up to the sky, smoke clouding the stars faintly. "Is this what you wanted Father? Is this the price I pay for my beauty? I did not ask for any of this! I did not ask to be beautiful, nor did I ask anyone to kidnap me or fight in my name! I just wanted to live, I just wanted to be free!" Tears streamed down her face as the screaming continued down below.**_

_**She could hear her name being called, not from her father high above in the heavens, no. He always ignored his children. It was Paris that called her.**_

_**"Helen!"**_

Evie woke up and swore she could taste ashes in her mouth and smell the burning city in her nostrils instead of the salty sea. She could still hear everything crystal clear as she looked over the railings down below the sea as the boat cut through the waves.

_Troy_ was _Illium_, another name for the doomed city then. Everything was coming into a full picture for Evie as she pressed her fingernails into her palm, as her thoughts continued.

They are fearing another Trojan War, that's what Circe said. She fears for another war between the gods, one that is fought between the gods not using mortal champions on the battlefield this time around. It could send the Earth into their own battlefield.

The smell of the sea started to push the scent of smoke away. She had prayed to her Uncle for safe passage when they left, scared that she would drown on the way to DunBroch but so far nothing but smooth sailing. _Thank you, Uncle Poseidon!_

"Evie?" She turned to see Audrey looking at her. They never talked to one another since they met that day arriving at Castle Beast with the other VK's. Evie remembered that Princess Audrey was her 'Buddy' for the school year as Ben put it. "Evie your hand!" The girl gasped as she quickly uncurled Evie's hand.

Her fingernails were covered in blood and the scaring was plain to see.

Evie's heart hammered loudly as Audrey carefully looked at Evie's self-inflicted injury to her right hand. Evie pulled it back quickly, "It's fine-"

Audrey frowned as concern clouded her face. "No, it's not. It'll get infected, let me help."

She did do just that, stubbornly taking Evie's arm and marching her to her room. There, Audrey went to the bathroom as Evie sat on her bed. Evie could hear the joyful shouts from outside as Audrey re-appeared with a first aid kit. She cleaned the wound with some cotton balls and liquid, then patching it up with some band-aids. "What happened?" She asked Evie.

"It's just a bad habit," Evie said weakly to her. It was the same thing she had told her father, looking down at her with a disapproving look in his eyes. He had scoffed and told her in Greek to never do this again as he patched up her wound. It had healed and he had tried to make her stop doing it but when he left, it came back. Her smile drooped and she felt vulnerable as Audrey looked at her. "Stupid explanation, uh?"

"Not the best but," Audrey said. "Something must be bothering you if you're doing this."

Evie nodded. She could faintly hear the roaring sound of the towers of Illium crash down, smoke rising up and into the window where she stood watching-She snapped back to the present with Audrey touching her hand, looking at her with her brown eyes. "I've been having these dreams and it feels like an echo to what's been going on in Auradon lately. I see towers burning and someone calls me Helen." She said quietly. Evie knew who _Helen_ was, anybody with close to basic knowledge of the most famous war would know who _Helen_ was. Audrey furrowed her brows in confusion and Evie thought she looked cute. "Who's Helen?"

"Helen of Troy or Sparta. She was a daughter of Zeus who got kidnapped by Paris which basically started the Trojan War." Evie explained to the Princess. Audrey simply said, "Oh." and Evie nodded. "I started getting dreams about her, about the fall of Troy or _Illium_ as someone eloquently put it and I'm fearing that it might happen again between my father and Zeus."

"Well," Audrey finally spoke after Evie finished her rant. "Maybe you can talk to Hercules about this, he is a demigod. It's right up his alley of knowledge. As for Troy... I think, and this is just me, I think shouldn't listen to those who spit at you. All they see is Hades, not Evie. It's what they all see with you VK's, but with the Olympians fighting, I think it is up to the Gods to sort this out. But on Earth, I think it's up to all of us to fix this. You get me?"

Evie nodded. She can do that, her dad did tell her once that if she can command the Lord of the Underworld, then she can command a crowd.

"If you want to talk about your dreams, when you get them I mean," Audrey said a bit nervous. She cleared her throat. "My room is always open or if you need another girl just to get away from Harry." Audrey winked and Evie laughed.

"Thank you and the same offer goes to you as well," She gave her a smile and when Audrey gave her one back, Evie felt blissfully happy.

They made their way back, noticing that Harry and Ben were rearranging seats in front of the other people. When Ben spotted both girls, he waved them over excitedly. "Oh good, you made it! Harry and I had a great idea to have you guys perform. He asked for help so I might have roped you in it as well Audrey."

"What about Jay and Mal?" Audrey asked, an eyebrow raised and hands crossed looking at her oldest friend. Harry shook his head, pipping up. "They don't want to do it. Plus, Jay's never been much of a singer." Evie nodded, Jay wasn't one to sing.

"Okay. Shall we do Seven Wonders?" Evie asked her partner. Harry grinned already strumming the guitar. Harry and Evie gave Audrey and Ben a quick run-down of the song. "My dad used to play this on some old record player he had, to me whenever I stayed over," She explained to the two royal teens. "Plus it's a catchy song," Harry said.

Audrey clasped her hands. "Oh! I know that song!" She nodded her head, her hair flying over the place. Ben said he was a quick learner like Audrey, they can get the song quickly. They did, doing a crash-course listening to the song before coming back to perform it.

Evie got the bass guitar, while Ben went on drums and Audrey was on piano. She looked at Evie, who gave her a grin. Belle clapped the loudest and cheered the loudest making Ben blush. Evie giggled and nodded her head at Harry. The piano started and the guitar. Then the drums as Ben started to play and Evie came up from behind, singing the song.

_"So long ago_  
_Certain place_  
_Certain time_  
_You touched my hand_  
_All the way_  
_All the way down to Emmeline_

_But if our paths never cross_  
_Well, you know I'm sorry but-"_

Together, they sang the chorus just as Evie had taught them in that hour.

_"If I live to see the seven wonders  
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end  
I'll never live to match the beauty again  
The rainbow's end"_

* * *

DunBroch was all green and far away from Auradon when they stepped on the land. Evie loved it, she loved everything about Auradon when she left the Isle. She still loved it but the harshness of the peoples' words about her heritage made her love wane a bit.

She tried not to be bothered by it as they stayed in DunBroch, Merida welcoming them enthusiastically. She was far from the sixteen-year-old girl, not a twenty-year-old Queen and married to Macintosh, a tall and muscular man with flowing curly brown hair. When they got there, Merida took one look at Evie. She braced herself for the onslaught of hateful or snide comments but all she got was-"Nice to finally meet the girl that's causing a ruckus in Auradon. If you ever want to cause a ruckus in DunBroch to let me know lass, more than happy to help." Her blue eyes twinkled with mischief as Macintosh snorted shaking his head.

Merida explained more that DunBroch allied its self with the Ancient Lands and now supported Evie. At least the Queen did and it eased Evie's mind being in DunBroch now. The redheaded Queen took them on a tour of her home and showed them personally to their rooms. "For the young ones, boys will sleep in the east wing and the girls to the west. Do not hesitate to ask for anything, DunBroch is your home."

"Thank you," They murmured, it was something to get used to for the VK's. How to say polite things to other people instead of snarling or punching, something that Evie liked rather than that opposite back on the Isle.

As she looked around her new room, someone opened her door. Audrey, Harry, and Ben walked in. Jay and Mal were currently heading down for dinner as were the adults. "You guys going down too?" Evie asked them.

"Yeah," Harry said to her. "They wanted to ask us something, Evie." Now that got her attention. Ben cleared his throat. "Well, we were wondering if you guys want to play more? In the band? Like we did on the ship?"

Evie was surprised and judging by Harry's face, he seemed to be thinking about this as well. Evie shrugged. "We're not used to having people asking if they want to join us. Our group, it was usually me and Harry playing melodies for them, not that we minded at all. But, I wouldn't mind newbies to the group. Harry?"

Harry shrugged as well. "It just means we need to find a good name for the group, our quartet if you will. We already have some sort of sound and me and Evie do a bit of dancing with the songs we write as well. You think you lot can keep up with us?"

It was Audrey who responded, a glint in her eyes as she looked at Harry. "I think we can." Harry merely gave both teens a wild grin that Evie was well accoustumed to seeing. "Well then, let the show begin!"

When they left the room and sat down for dinner, Belle also had a surprise.

"I managed to have Cinderella, Aladdin, Mulan, and Fairy Godmother come to Eric's castle when we get there to celebrate your birthday Evie." The Queen smiled at her. Audrey, who sat next to her looked at Evie, her mouth open with surprise. "It's your birthday next week?!"

Evie nodded feeling shy suddenly. Why was she feeling like this around Audrey? "Maybe we can go shopping around here, as a birthday treat! or in Eric's kingdom! There's so much cool stuff there." As Audrey talked more about the shopping and clothing all Evie could think about was one thing she wanted for her birthday that may not come true.

All she wanted was to see her dad on her birthday... now that might not be coming true after all.

* * *

"Niece," Hades said to the auburn-haired young woman.

Behind him were all the Olympians without their King. They came to her in the temple of Metroon once again, Hades wanted to make sure each of his nieces and nephews knew where along with some of the minor gods.

They all came and no sight of Pheme which was a win for Hades and his siblings. Athena was the only one that Hades had invited to talk as he and his siblings went to go talk to her other siblings but Athena was the most vital of them all. Athena was the favored daughter to Zeus, his golden child. If she turned against him, the golden child will certainly help quicken the fall.

Athena, goddess of wisdom and war turned to look at the others. Her grey eyes seemed to be steel as she looked at Hades, calculatingly as if searching for a way to ram into the trenches of the enemies. "Uncle," She nodded her head in acknowledgment.

"We call you here to help us, Athena," Hades began. Athena still looked stone cold as she spoke, her grey calculating eyes matching the tone in her voice. "Helping you stop what, as many are putting it as, to stop the next Trojan War?"

"Or it could be," Athena continued. "To help you stop my father? Am I wrong about it all Uncle?"

"No niece, you are not," Hades said to her. "Which is why we need your help with this. You did this before with Hera and Poseidon but someone got in the way, this time we get rid of the obstacles before overthrowing him."

Athena said nothing, letting Hades continue. "You told us this long ago during the war Athena. Do you remember what you told me?" He asked. "_Sometimes, strength must bow to wisdom_. Your father hasn't been bowing very much and now, he will hold onto his strength-his power just over the threat of a living little demigod? All because he still fears for that damnable prophecy that med him swallow your mother. Is this what all demigods must fear now? An old prophecy and death by the King? My daughter fears it, I know she does as do I. Athena, your champion was Odysseus long ago and you were fond of Perseus as well, would they stand for this? Would you?"

Athena shook her head. "No, they wouldn't. Neither would I."

"None of the heroes of old do, not even Hercules. We need to end this now Athena. As a united front, we must or we've doomed them all. Because there is a bigger threat to Auradon that isn't us, one that can destroy them all and possibly us if we let it fester."

"What could possibly make you fear so much Uncle?" Athena whispered, grey eyes looking curious while her auburn hair flew around The small hairs that escaped her braid were messy as she looked at him.

"What _I_ fear Athena?" Hades said. "I fear that the Horned King will be released and when he awakens, there will be no one to stop his wrath or his armies of the undead. And Rhea help us all if that happens because if we do not get Zeus off that throne? There won't be any people to worship us or an Olympus to be in if we fight each other."

"Will you join us niece?" Hades asked her. "Pallas Athena?"

"I will," She said, her grey eyes burning bright. "For the good of the kingdom and the good of the Ancient Lands, Zeus will fall. I just pray we do not fall with him Uncle."

"We all do niece," He said, nodding his head in agreement.

* * *

"What about Harry and the threes?"

"No."

"Argh, I hate this!" Harry announced to everyone. By everyone, it was just Evie, Audrey, Ben, Jay and Mal, all sitting around Audrey's room while coming up with band names. Their bowls of ice cream were melting slowly as they continued the hunt for the name.

"What about, 'The Fables'?" Mal offered. Harry made a face which prompted Mal to crush her paper into a ball and throw it directly at Harry, hitting him squarely in the face. If it wasn't for Evie and Jay holding both VK's back, no doubt Harry would be fighting a small thirteen-year-old girl.

"How about Rebels?" Ben said. Evie shook her head. Audrey looked at her friend, "To cliche."

Evie thought long and hard. She had absolutely nothing. When it came to song titles, she and Harry were good at those but this? Nope!

Audrey gasped. "What about this!" She held up her hands dramatically. "_Ever After Gone_? It sounds catchy and mysterious!"

Evie liked it. "We can abbreviate it like E.A.G for short too!" Audrey nodded her head. "Not bad Pinky," Harry commented and Ben high fived her.

"Alright E.A.G," Evie announced. "We need to talk about songs and choreography." Harry agreed, knowing that they both had to teach Ben and Audrey the steps they came up with and the songs they've written so far.

"We're ready," Audrey and Ben said in sync. Evie grinned as she looked at Harry. "Alright, let's rock this place."

When everyone left, Evie was left for Mal as company. The others got ready to sleep in for the night. Evie never seemed to bond with Mal, considering both girls lived different parts away on the Isle and their mothers were always at each other's throats. But here without the looming shadows of their mothers and the Isle, Mal reminded Evie of Celia and Dizzy.

She seemed to finally relax slightly around Aurora, Philip, Audrey and even Jay. Harry still held her at arms length and Evie was kind to her. She was doodling something on a purple notebook. as Evie looked over her own notebook where all the songs were written. Her eyes went over to Mal and she couldn't help but wonder if the little girl who ruled the Isle still felt the eyes of her mother at the back of her head.

Evie did, along with the eyes of a God that wanted to see her dead.

* * *

_It seemed they have forgotten you Master, _Beowulf thought bitterly. He remembered the times when Villains ran Auradon, the high he felt when the fear in a person taking one look at him. The infamous huntsman of the Evil Queen. Now, he was just a peasant bidding his time as he gathered the ingredients to release the person that would conquer everything.

They had forgotten about the Horned King, long ago and now just a fable to tell children. But, he saw the truth it was right in front of him.

The Cauldron was certainly like the name stated-all black and huge that it could stuff at least four bodies in it. He had gathered a sacrifice, a babe he stole for him. For the Horned king to return and set his Queen free, to set everyone free.

It was now, only a matter of time. Then the villains would rule as they did before with fear and he would be lauded a victor in their masses.

* * *

**_NOTES:_ Alright so this was a long one, I admit it. I hope you guys enjoy it! The next chapter more exploring of DunBroch and then off to Prince Eric's castle with surprises! **

**And I do not own the quotes used in this chapter, one quote is from Disney and the other from the lovely Percy Jackson Series.**

**_Fun fact:_ Metroon is actually a temple for Rhea in Olympia!**

**who i picture playing the gods so far:**

**Apollo -Lin Manuel Miranda**

**Artemis -Jordana Brewster**

**Athena -Bryce Dallas-Howard**

**Hephestus -Jacob Anderson**

**Aphrodite -Indya Moore**

**Ares -Michael B. Jordan**

**Dionysus -Finn Wittrock**

**Hermes -Cody Fern**

**Demeter -Angelica Ross**

**Zeus -Wes Bentley**

**Hera -Zoe Kravitz**

**Poseidon - Chadwick Boseman**

**Hestia -Winona Ryder**

**Circe -Sabrina Carpenter**

**Hecate -Billie Lourde**

**Thanatos -Evan Peters**

**Persephone -Hannah John-Kammen**

**Pheme -Ashley Tisdale**

**more gods will show up as the story continues. **


	8. your reputation for hospitality

**Chapter Eight: y****_our reputation for hospitality is becoming a legend_**

_"It'd be rude to refuse a gift from a goddess."_

**-Moana, Moana (2016)**

* * *

Her dreams were weird.

It started a week into her new life, living with Cinderella and Kit. They watched the news about Evie and rage-filled Uma at what some people thought about her cousin. They did not know her or any of the children from the Isle that came to Auradon. The dreams, she wished they never began yet they did. It began the day when Evie's secret was unleashed onto Auradon.

**She was on a brown horse riding through with her men, overlooking the sea. They were riding to see someone they needed for war. _A great war, She thought to herself. When she finally arrived she could see sparring and then as she arrived she saw a spear fly inches away from her. It hit the tree just as she was turning to the opening of the sea and the ruins of a temple. She cursed the demigod that threw the spear as she finally saw the two blondes. Uma got off the horse and pulled the spear from the tree, walking towards them with a smile on her face. _**

**_"Your reputation for hospitality is becoming a legend!" He told one of the boys who looked no older than Jay. He had muscles like Jay as well, Uma thought. The one with the arms and holding the sword introduced the scrawny blonde as his cousin, Patroclus. _**

**_"Patroclus, this is Odysseus, King of Ithica," He smiled at Uma. Her brain tried to wrack any information on Odysseus but she got nothing. She hated it when she knew nothing._**

**_The dream ended with that. It changed with the same scene as she begged Achilleas to fight for her. "Fight for the Greeks. Fight for me. My wife will feel much safe knowing you are by my side. I'll feel much better."_**

**_Patroclus was a bright-eyed boy asking her about some warrior called Hector. She smiled, telling him about the warrior. "We could use more men like you from Phtia," She had told Patroclus. "I hope you join us Patroclus, we could use a strong arm like yours." Until blonde muscles pointed the sword between them. He gave her a tight smile that had "Play your tricks on me. But not on my cousin."_**

**_"You have your swords. I have my tricks. We play with the toys the gods give us."_**

The scene rippled like water and then she woke up.

_What. In. The. Holy. Fuck?_

**_The next night, she was in a tent eating while a fat man in shiny armor yelled his head off. She was amused by him as he said, "Like a whipped dog!"_**

**_"The men thought we came here for Menelaus wife," He said eyeing the King. "Guess we won't be needing her anymore."_**

**_The King turned on his heel and looked at her. Well at Odysseus. He snarled at her, "My brother's blood still wets the sand and you insult him!"_**

**_"It's no insult to say that a dead man is dead." She was still cheeky to one of the villains, she probably would have been killed. Here, she probably insulted a King but he did not make any moves to chop her head off. "He is still breathing Agamemnon, is he not? Just licking his wounds."_**

**_The old man who sat in front of her spoke up. "If we leave now, we lose all credibility."_**

**_Uma picked at her cuticles focusing on that as she spoke, "If we stay, we stay for the right reasons. To protect Greece, not your pride. Your private battle with Achilles is destroying us!"_**

**_"_Achilles_ is one man!" Agamemnon yelled in his face._**

**_She shot back at the fat King. The other man sitting in front of him nodded in agreement with her words. "_Hector_ is one man! Look what he did to us today!"_**

**_"Hector fights for his country! Achilles fights only for himself!" Agamemnon said to his face._**

**_"I don't care about the man's allegiance, I care about his ability to win battles!" Uma told him, feeling battle tired, worn down from this verbal battle as well. She lost a battle by Hector. He was part of the Trojans, a great warrior she remembered her words that she had told Patroclus._**

**_"He's right," The old man said to the two men. Uma forgot that he was in the tent with them, too busy verbally sparring with the stupid King Agamemnon. "The men's morals are weak."_**

**_"Weak?" She scoffed. "They're ready to swim home Agamemnon. Did you know that?" _**

_Her dream ended there with the King sneering at her. _She was getting tired and more confused about these dreams as they came. But another thought came to her as she woke up.

Was Evie getting the same types of dreams, all weird, confused, and old?

* * *

"We are going on _vacation_!" Dizzy sang around Uma's room as she packed. Uma ignored her, too sleep-deprived from the dreams to care about the young girl's singing. The dreams were every night and every night it was war. The war against the Trojans to get Helen of Troy back. She thought it was a foolish plan, a stupid foolish fight after it was made clear by Hector and Paris that Helen was now Paris' wife.

But what she did not know was that why was she getting these dreams and as Odysseus of all people! She remembered the tale of Odysseus, King of Ithica who had gone on a voyage for ten years to return home all because he had been the target of Poseidon's wrath. Blown off course and with the help of Athena, his patron and he as the champion of the goddess got to Ithica by the tenth year.

"Maybe it is irony?" She said out loud causing Dizzy to reply to Uma's self said the question. "What's irony?"

Uma shook her head as she shoved another shirt into the blue bag that she would take with her on the trip. "Nothing Diz. Just thinking out loud."

"You excited?" The little girl's giddiness was a brightness. "We get to go see Ariel! King Eric and Queen Ariel! Then there's her dad Triton and the other gods and goddesses of Olympus coming to celebrate this day in Andersen. Isn't Triton and Ariel related to you like Evie is?" Dizzy did not stop talking.

Uma could still hear the roar of horses hoves beating the sands of the beaches of Troy, the roar of thousands of Greek men fighting to defeat the Trojans and take back Helen in her husband Menelaus' name. Blood, death and absolute chaos are what she saw and still heard. If she closed her eyes, she could see Achilles, proud, tall, muscular and golden ready to fight after the Greek's pride was wounded when Hector defeated them.

They were packing to Andersen where Belle and Aurora were heading in a day after they get there since they were still in DunBroch as guests of Queen Merida. Now she was going straight to a family that hated her and her mother. The day the Olympians and other gods of the Ancient Lands came to celebrate apparently was an old celebration for the people of the Ancient Lands, a big one as Chad could describe it.

As they flew from the airport, Uma and Dizzy's first time flying, she felt this sense of dread as the plane began to lift off. Children that were not of Zeus, especially ones that were children of his siblings were in a bit of danger in his territory. She told Cinderella and Kit about this but they reassured her like the naive mortals that they were. Uma just prayed to the Gods that her mother cursed and hoped that she wasn't shot down by her cranky great-uncle.

The plane landed safely in Andersen. They drove to the castle and when they got closer anxiety and fear started clawing at Uma's heart. She remembered the lessons Uncle Hades taught her and Evie all those years ago when they were in his care.

Each lesson the god drilled into them was a history lesson. Uma complained once as to why they were taught this instead of swordplay as Perseus or Hercules did with Chairon. Hades arched an eyebrow, his blue eyes lifting to meet her own brown eyes, his attention away from an old large book that was in greek. He always kept a large book in greek for them to read from, muscle memory for their tongue to learn the language. "History is a weapon to both of you. Sometimes, our history can be repeated twice, very dangerously repeated and all the fates would do is laugh as they cut the string. Use your weapon and choose it wisely Uma."

A rather chilling thing to say to a five-year-old but after that, Uma never complained about the lessons Uncle Hades taught. The fates, maybe they had a hand as to why Uma was getting plagued with these dreams. It must be something significant to dream about being Odysseus.

Why else would Uma be dreaming about the hero that was an enemy of her grandfather and the infamous ten-year war of Troy?

* * *

They arrived in Andersen when daylight was slowly seeping away from the sky and the night-its darkness was slowly bleeding into. It was late for introductions, Cinderella and Kit would greet their hosts but the children needed to sleep. Dizzy was disappointed but Uma was more than glad to avoid meeting her relatives yet. That night, the dreams continued to plague her.

In the morning, she dressed well and walked out with Chad. They were going to be introduced to their hosts.

Being introduced to Ariel, Eric, King Triton, and Ariel's sister were awkward. They were charmed by Dizzy but with Uma, they looked at her as if she had announced that she was going to release the worst of scum from Tartarus. Cinderella and Kit had tried to break the tension, Uma was grateful for them. They were taking care of her and she was a bit fond of them. It was tense in the room and when Melody, who seemed to stubbornly want to bridge the gap between Uma and the family, she announced a tour for the guests. Cinderella quickly agreed and Uma was glad to flee the room with her mother's side of the family.

Her mother's side of the family. Oh, Uma knew too well about them, hearing Ursual scream to the heavens towards her godly parents Poseidon and Amphitrite to end her life. Sometimes, drunk, the sea witch would hiccup and tell Uma a tale about her life as the second child of Poseidon. She would weep and Uma would hide that secret because seeing Ursula shed tears made Uma see that some monsters were turned by the people they loved. That is how Ursula was banished by the people she loved, Poseidon, Amphitrite, and Triton, twice in her life, leaving the sea witch broken-hearted and much crueler to her own kin. Her own daughter.

"Uma?" Chad swam into Uma's field of vision that for a moment she had almost called him Gil. They had almost the same blonde hair, just the coloring seemed different now that she was looking at them both. She ached to see Gil and Harry, along with the rest of her crew. Evie especially, always having her blue-haired cousin with her since they met all those years ago in Hades' underground home.

Chad sat next to her by the fountain observing Uma with what appeared to be concern etched on his face. She was lazily manipulating the water, having discovered that just a few days ago while she took a bath. She could even breath underwater, something that Uncle Hades alluded to her once when she was a child.

"That was rude of them," Chad said making Uma slightly loose concentration on the water. "How they reacted to you being here, it was rude of them."

Uma shrugged. She knew this was bound to happen to her. If Evie was getting a hostile reaction from Auradon it seemed fair for Uma to get the same thing with her mother's side of the family as well. "My mom wasn't nice to them. I don't blame them."

If anything, she was too distracted to care. Her sleep was evading her from the dreams she kept having. The last one of being Odysseus was by far the most horrifying. The fire and smoke still burned all of Troy as daylight broke, Apollo's chariot shining over them. She remembered walking away with Hector's widow, Andromache when a cry pierced the eerie silence of the area. She knew-Odysseus knew that Hector had a son. An heir to Troy. Agamemnon had raged to find the babe and when they did find them, ordered Odysseus to murder the babe. She refused, with Andromache pleading with tears in her eyes to not bring harm to her child.

_"Take me, kill me_," She had screamed at the Greeks. "_Kill me in his place, just spare him please!_" It fell on deaf ears. Uma wanted to say no but her legs betrayed her and the screams of Andromache continued as she took the babe up to the walls of Troy, black from the fires.

_Don't make me do this, please!_ She had screamed but her voice could not be heard as if she lost it.

She held it dangling from one foot and let go. Andromache screamed and Uma woke up. When she did wake up, she stumbled out of her bed, to the bathroom and promptly threw up. The next day, she was introduced and the same wave of nausea wanted to erupt all over the marble floor. Instead, after Melody gave them a tour, Uma fled to the pretty balcony overlooking the sea and where a fountain was placed.

"I just haven't been sleeping well," She told the blonde son of Cinderella. If Uma told him the truth, he would think her insane. "That's all."

It wasn't and she knew it.

* * *

On their third day in Andersen, Poseidon came and her dreams shifted.

Instead of dreaming about Odysseus, she was someone else.

_**"Troy will burn!" She yelled to a man in pretty rich red silk robes and a woman with a chiffon gold dress. They both wore crowns on their heads and jewels. She pointed to a woman so beautiful that Uma thought she was Aphrodite for a moment but the woman could not be Aphrodite. "She will be our downfall. Paris has brought our downfall! Don't let him back in! Don't let him back in!"**_

_**"Guards take her back to her room and keep her there!" The man roared and Uma screamed more, louder as she swung her arms wildly not wanting the guards to take her back there. She could feel the rise of hysteria in her chest as she screamed and made her way to Paris, getting in a scratch on his face before Hector grabbed her by her middle. "Why did you bring her here? DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO US!" **_

_**"She is my bride!" Paris said like some petulant child who won a toy. "She is a Princess!"**_

_**"You brought a curse!" She screamed. In the back of her mind, she could see the fires that would envelop Troy. See Hector, her beloved brother, dead. "You are our downfall Paris and the gods know it! I should have killed you when you were born!"**_

_**"ENOUGH!" Priam yelled as Hecuba wailed for her child, her daughter who seemed to have lost her mind. But Uma knew she never lost her mind. They just did not believe her. "That will never happen! Troy will hold itself high with the might of Apollo behind us, the walls will protect us!"**_

_**"**__**You are a fool, Father! A FOOL! **__**Troy will burn and the blood of our people will be on your hands Paris! **__**Blood as black as a crow and fire!**__**" She screamed as Hector hauled her away.**_

_**"Stop it-"**_

Uma woke up, groaning as the sunlight hit her face. Blinking once, then twice she pushed the duvet away and could feel the arms of a ghost on her body as she got up.

She wasn't Odysseus this time, she was someone on the inside and from what she remembered of the dream it looked to be the early stages of the war before actual war broke out on the beaches of Troy. At least this time, Uma did not throw up which she saw as a win.

Getting out the door, and heading to find the dining hall was a small adventure. Tucked under her arm was a book she had found in the library yesterday with Dizzy and Chad. Melody found them and told them that they could read the books here. "Just return them when you are done, okay?" She told them. That was something Uma took, finding a book on the Trojan War and Odysseus' voyage. It wouldn't say anything that Uma saw in her vivid dreams. Her dreams seemed to envelop her into the real words of what those people lived through and now she just had to figure out who was dreaming about again.

The dining hall was brought from the sunlight and the only people present were Ariel's family much to Uma's chagrin. She had half a mind to turn around and walk away but her pride and stubbornness would not allow that.

(_"That stubbornness will get you both killed one day, mark my words. It is one of our flaws, especially with the older gods," Hades had told them one day. Uma remembered that day clearly. "I can say that very much, both my brothers and I, more like my siblings and I are all stubborn. That may be one of the many reasons for our somewhat fractured relationship.")_

She could see Ariel's bright vivid red hair, her daughter Melody's laughter along with Ariel's three sisters that came from Atlantis and King Triton. Across from Triton and his daughters were Eric and the last two people Uma would ever get to see.

Lord Poseidon and Lady Amphitrite, the King and Queen of the seas, the godly parents of Triton and Ursula. Uma's grandparents were sitting there, if it could not be even more obvious, the holy grail of weapons-Poseidon's triton, forged by the cyclops during the Titanochamy was leaning next to Poseidon's right and Amphitrite's left. She could feel its power, raw yet greeting her, tugging her towards it like something akin to familiar. Or course it would be familiar to her, she was Poseidon's granddaughter, as were all of Triton's children. The difference between them was that Uma was half a god unlike Ariel and her sisters. She was half a god, half-mortal like Evie. It was one of the many things that linked both girls together.

She remembered the games both her and Evie used to do back in the safety of Hades' home. As her great uncle took a nap or played cards with Baron Facilier, Uma and Evie would pretend they were the heroes of old from the stories that Hades used to tell them. Once she was Theseus, the defeater of the Minotaur and Evie was Princess Ariadne but then when Hades told her about how Theseus dumped Ariadne on a little Isle, she proclaimed that Theseus sucked.

For now on, she would play the only other descendant of Poseidon that she found fascinating- _Orion_. Evie would be Artemis and Uma would be Orion. They always bugged Hades with questions about the dead son of Poseidon but Hades just gave them a smile tinged with sadness telling them, To this day, Uma still found the story of Orion fascinating, if not tragic as all of the stories of the Ancient Lands was ultimately tragic.

Uma sat down as Ariel spotted her. "Good morning Uma," The red-headed Queen said with a bright smile on her face. Uma still did not know whether to see it a genuine or fake, yesterday's smiles and greeting seemed fake to her, as, for today, it was still up in the air. Uma kept her bite down and greeted Ariel with the same sugary-sweet tone and smile she reserved for people she trusted wholeheartedly. "Good morning," She replied then sat down in front of nobody as the seat in front of her was empty. Cinderella and Kit were not awake yet, nor was Chad or Dizzy. She swallowed the anxiety was building up rapidly and focused on piling some food on her plate.

Everyone around talked again but Uma could feel their eyes on her, all full of judgment or anger that she was one of the children allowed.

_Paranoia, _Uma thought suddenly hearing Hades voice crystal clear as if he was sitting in front of her. _Paranoia my dear niece is the second downfall of ours, my siblings and I have it greatly. Along with stubbornness and paranoia, our tempers are what mortals fear from us. It is a downfall to any man or woman. Just ask Zeus and Poseidon, they will dance around the question but I say yes. _

_Did she even feel paranoid? Not really. Anxious, yes but paranoid? Nope. Sleep-deprived? Fuck yeah. _

Once the food was on her plate and a glass of milk in her hand, Uma opened the large book she had acquired, opening it. The chapter she was on, talked about Odysseus. She ate her fruits as she read the passage. A throat cleared and someone asked her a question, "You found something good in the library?"

It was Melody, looking at her with curious blue eyes. No judgment or hidden anger, just curiosity in her cousin's eyes as she waited for her answer. Uma did not say anything but she just nodded her head silently as she put a piece of bacon into her mouth. It was crispy and warm.

"What kind of book did you pick?"

Uma swallowed it before answering her question. "A Greek Mythology book in Greek."

It was a silence that followed her answer and Uma wished she had lied instead of answering Melody's question with the truth. "Who's your favorite hero?" Amphitrite asked her. Uma blinked looking at her grandmother.

On the tip of her tongue, she should have said Orion or even Theseus. She should have said it but the anger and lack of sleep seemed to be her undoing that morning. It was the anger she felt over how they were treating Evie on the news and the way Ariel's family seemed to react to her like some wild animal from a zoo. It was the lack of sleep from those stupid dreams about her being a Greek King and a Trojan girl who seemed to have lost her mind.

"My favorite hero is Odysseus," The sentence seemed to have stopped every conversation at the table and direct everyone's eyes towards herself and Poseidon. Uma boldly directed eye contact with her grandfather.

Poseidon looked around the same age as Hades. His dark brown eyes that Uma inherited pierced back to her, as he studied her face after she uttered the heroic Greek nemeses of the god. She could feel her cheeks burn but she wasn't going to stand down and take it back. Instead, all Poseidon did was raise a single eyebrow at her. She waited for her skin to erupt in flame or be turned to ashes from what she proclaimed. The worts that Hades did for punishment for both girls back on the Isle was reciting poems of different heroes or gods by memory. It was a better punishment than the spoon beatings her mother gave her if she messed up in the restaurant or being incinerated by literal god.

"Odysseus, eh?" Poseidon said. "And what makes Athena's famous champion so appealing to you?" No hints of anger just amusement except for when he said the name, Athena, as if he swallowed something bitter.

All she could think about were her dreams when she was Odysseus. "He didn't want to kill that baby, he had guilt over the death of Hector's son's death."

Nobody spoke but in the eyes of the two older gods, Uma saw clarification then so much grief in Poseidon's eyes it was possible to be drowned in them. She tore her eyes away seeing Cinderella, her husband, Chad, and Dizzy all walking inside. Once they sat down, smiles on their faces not knowing the conversation that began between them.

Smiling, Cinderella asked them all, "What did we miss?"

Uma kept her mouth shut after that as Ariel said that it was nothing. Nothing was missed because mortals were oblivious to this unless you dragged them into the battles of the Gods.

"Uma," Cinderella began as conversation erupted once again at the table as if Uma never said a single word before the others came down. "Chad mentioned to me that you have been having trouble sleeping?"

_Dammit, Chad! _She cursed in her head but shook her head to give away her thoughts. "No. Everything is fine," She told the older woman. Cinderella did not seem convinced. "Just nightmares from the Isle, that's all." Cinderella nodded her head in sympathy and Uma relaxed slightly. She bought it, they all did. Maybe not all of them, her grandparents certainly did not buy it at all.

* * *

The sea was something Uma never thought she would see. Certainly not the blue of it, the way it licked her feet and ankles. The beach surrounding the castle below was a comfort and solitude for Uma that she needed now. Away from her family and Dizzy's endless questions that she was in no mood to answer. The lack of sleep and endless dreams was tacking a toll, the breakfast that happened mere hours ago was a perfect example of that disaster.

So here she was, by the sea reading up on the ten-year war called the Trojan War.

All that she had found was some of the history lessons Hades taught her and Evie years ago. The story of Hercules defeating the Hydra, Narcissus, and Echo, Midas' curse with gold, the entrapment of Aphrodite and Ares. So many that she knew, some that she did not know, yet not of anything yet about the Trojan war. There was an interesting chapter on Achilles before he went to join the Greeks in Troy (and died there). An invulnerable hero and amazing swordsman, she remembered from her dreams and reading it, it seemed he was a literal god having been dipped into the river Styx until the only spot, his heel was left unmarked by the Styx, that an arrow from Paris bow was what ended the famous hero of the Ancient Lands.

The waves crashed down on the sand as she turned another page and landed on something. Finally, on the Trojan war as it talked about Priam, the last king of Troy. Apparently a seer foretold the downfall of Troy that one born (Paris) of a royalty of the Trojans would bring such a downfall on the kingdom. Priam and his wife Hecuba could not kill the child thus sent him away at the order of one of their soldiers to kill him outside the gates but even the soldier could not do it. He left him on Mount Ida only to be found by his adopted parents. Thus, keeping Paris alive brought the ruins onto Troy.

"_Cassandra_, the daughter of Priam and Hecuba," Uma read out loud. "Was cursed by Apollo after rejecting the god's advances to see the future but when she told someone or anyone, they would not believe her."

_**"That will never happen! Troy will hold itself high with the might of Apollo behind us, the walls will protect us!"**_

_**"**__**You are a fool, Father! A FOOL! **__**Troy will burn and the blood of our people will be on your hands Paris! Blood as black as a crow and fire!"**_

She was dreaming of _Cassandra._ _The Princess Cassandra of Troy_ who was cursed with the sight and only she saw the downfall of her home. She was dreaming of Odysseus, a King who fought for ten years and would go on a voyage for ten more years with his family thinking him dead in Ithica. What did this all mean to Uma?

Troy was gone, a memory in the Gods themselves.

What was it? A warning for her, not be like Cassandra or doom herself like the Princess? Or something much more ominous behind the story she was seeing?

Why was she dreaming about Odysseus and Cassandra? Two of the most different people in the Trojan War and who's allegiance were too different kingdoms?

What was she not getting? What was the bigger picture and why was she in this to begin with?

* * *

_**NOTES: Alright, this took a while and took some research on the Trojan war. Some (most of) the lines from the first two dreams are taken from the movie Troy. Along with one of the lines is the title for the chapter. The movie kept plaguing me and it helped with writing this chapter. Writing this was actually fun! Ironically, the quote I used summarizes something in the chapter, ha!**_

_**I kept listening to this song as I wrote it and finished this chapter, Centuries by Fall Out Boy.**_

_**Not to worry folks, the next chapter will be picking up where this chapter left off. So you don't have to die in agony over what will happen with Uma and how this connects with Evie's dreams (obviously they do, pretty obvious dots to connect). I hope you enjoyed this chapter! **_


End file.
